Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution BL Verma said in a written reply on Tuesday that a total of 533 consumer complaints have been filed under the food and beverages category with consumer commissions in the last two years. In Rajya Sabha. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with a total of 88 cases, followed by Rajasthan and Haryana, which have reported 88 and 57 cases respectively, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said in a release.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established in 2008 under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 primarily to set science-based standards for food items and to ensure availability, quality and safety of food items in their manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale. And to regulate imports. Safe and nutritious food for human consumption.
Sections 90 and 91 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provide for punishment for the manufacture, sale or storage or sale or distribution or import of any product containing adulterated or counterfeit goods, including imprisonment or fine depending on the extent of the injury . Consumer.
The Food Safety and Standards Act contains specific provisions for punitive action relating to substandard food, misbranded food and unsafe food. FSSAI conducts regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products including milk, milk products and baby food through its regional offices and State/Union Territories.
In cases where food samples are found non-conforming, punitive action is taken against the erring food business operators as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Rules and Regulations. Further, to increase the reach of basic testing facilities even in remote areas, FSSAI has provided mobile food testing laboratories called Food Safety on Wheels (FSW).
In terms of the Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission) Rules, 2020, made under the auspices of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, no fee will be payable for filing complaints where the value of goods or services paid as consideration Is up to Rs. 5,00,000.
E-Daakhil portal has also been launched for filing consumer complaints online. Apart from physical hearing, video conferencing facility has also been provided in National and State level Consumer Commissions.
Further, as per Section 38(7) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, every complaint shall be disposed of as expeditiously as possible and endeavor shall be made to decide the complaint within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the notice. By the opposite party where the complaint does not require analysis or testing of the articles and if analysis or testing of the articles is required, within five months:
In the interest of speedy justice to end consumers, the Consumer Protection Act states that no adjournment shall ordinarily be granted by Consumer Commissions unless sufficient cause is shown and the reasons for granting adjournment are recorded in writing by the Commission. Has been done.
