Maharashtra FDA Faces Staff Shortage, Strengthens Labs Amid Festive Food Safety Drive

Mumbai: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Department in Maharashtra is facing challenges in effectively conducting raids and curbing food and drug adulteration due to a shortage of staff and laboratories, FDA Minister Narahari Zirwal informed on Tuesday.

Manpower Shortage and Recruitment Drive

Highlighting the manpower crisis, Zirwal said that despite the department’s crucial role in ensuring food safety, the lack of sufficient officers has limited operations. The matter has been discussed with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who has assured additional funding in the upcoming budget.

To address the shortage, the FDA has completed recruitment for over 200 pending posts of Assistant Commissioners (Food) and Food Safety Officers, pending since 2022. In addition, the government has proposed the creation of 750 new posts to further strengthen the department, a proposal now with the Finance Department for approval.

Laboratory Network Expansion

Efforts are underway to enhance Maharashtra’s laboratory network to ensure timely testing of food samples. New labs at Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Pune have been completed and are set for inauguration. To run these labs effectively, 250 additional posts have been proposed, and Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar for lab strengthening.

Festive Season Food Safety Campaign

With the festive season underway, the FDA has launched a state-wide campaign titled ‘Sankalp Ann Surakshecha – San Maharashtra Cha’ (Resolution for Food Safety in Festive Maharashtra) to curb potential adulteration. So far, 1,594 food establishments have been inspected, and 2,369 food samples collected.

Of the 554 test reports received, 513 samples were certified as standard, 26 were sub-standard, 4 had labeling defects, and 11 were unsafe for consumption. Reports for the remaining 1,815 samples are still pending. Food items tested include milk, khoya, ghee, edible oil, sweets, dry fruits, and chocolates.

Vaccine Production and Regulatory Efficiency

Minister Zirwal also shared updates on vaccine production: Rs 25 crore has been sanctioned for polio vaccine production at the Haffkine Institute, while Rs 1.5 crore has been allocated for anti-snakebite vaccines, with provisions to increase funding as required.

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To improve regulatory and administrative efficiency, a three-member committee has been set up in line with the recommendations of the Dr. Mashelkar Committee, including secretaries from Medical Education, Finance and Planning, and Public Health Departments.

Government Commitment

Zirwal emphasized that the government is committed to ensuring food safety for citizens and strengthening the FDA to make it more effective in combating adulteration.