Through its notification dated 31 July 2020 the FSSAI has further extended the validity of its earlier orders giving relaxations to the FBOs during the lockdown due to COVID-19. During the lockdown period the FSSAI had issued various orders through which it had provided relaxation to FBOs. Now with the continuing Covid-19 situation the FSSAI has reviewed the matter and has decided to amend the validity of some of its orders till 31 December 2020.
The various orders through which relaxation has been extended further till 31 December 2020 are as follows
Order dated 31 march 2020 related to processing of FSSAI License/Registration applications during lockdown situations by way of e-inspections.
The FSSAI had permitted the concerned authority to conduct e-inspection of FBOs premise/unit record the observations, by the way of videos or images submitted by the concerned FBOs, and record the observations. Granting of Licenses/ Registrations by carrying out e-inspections are now permitted till 31 December 2020. Thereafter, there would be requirement for physical inspections for those FBOs who were granted License/ Registrations during the lockdown period based on e-inspections.
Order/ Direction under Section 16 (5) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 dated 31st March 2020 regarding allowing FBOs to temporarily operate their food business on basis of application license/registration during the period of lockdown.
The FSSAI had permitted Food Business Operators to temporarily operate their food businesses, on the basis of application for license/registration, during the period of lockdown. Those FBOs were allowed to operate their food businesses who had applied/apply for FSSAI License/Registration by making online application, with prescribed fee, through online mode on FLRS, and must possess a valid receipt of application, having 17-digit Application Reference Number (ARN). Such FBOs were required to inform, via email about the commencement of business to the concerned licensing/registering authority/Commissioner of Food Safety about commencing their food businesses. These FBOs have been further permitted to continue to operate their food business till 31 December 2020.
FSSAI has also decided to extend the date of submission of the Annual Returns (Form DI for FY 2019-20 and Half Yearly returns (Form D2 for October 2019 to March 2020 and April 2020 to September 2020 by FSSAI licensed food businesses involved in the manufacturing/processing and importing food products till 31 December 2020.
(The Forms D1 and D2 are available at http://foodsafetyhelpline.com/fssai-extends-timeline-for-submission-of-annual-half-yearly-returns-of-food-products/)
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