The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), under the Government of India, has decided to further promote ‘Ease of Doing Business’ in the food sector by issuing immediate food licenses/registrations to units involved in food trade. Informing about this decision, Gujarat’s Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said that this pilot project will be launched in four states, including Gujarat, on June 28, 2024, by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda from Delhi.
Under this pilot project, traders involved in the food sector will have to apply online at www.foscos.fssai.gov.in, submit the required documents, and pay the fee. Food licenses/registrations will be issued to traders immediately after payment of the fee and verification of GST and Aadhaar. In Gujarat, camps will be organized for immediate license/registration by the food and drug regulatory authorities of each district and the food branch of the municipality.
This new process provides an opportunity to obtain food licenses/registrations immediately, significantly reducing approval time. This new arrangement will enable food businesses to start their operations faster and increase their efficiency. Additionally, the workload of the government will be reduced, time will be saved, and the entire process will be integrated and transparent.
In this new system, food traders need only apply with the prescribed documents. Traders attempting to obtain licenses/registrations with false documents will face a penalty of up to Rs. 10 lakhs. This new approach will benefit all importers, merchant exporters, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, transporters, storage facilities, food vending agencies, tea-snack vendors, truckers, and direct sellers associated with the food sector.