Through a letter dated 21 December, 2020 the FSSAI has written to the Commissioners of Food Safety of all States and UTs on the subject of improving vigilance administration and increasing transparency in the Department of Food Safety (DoFS) of all the States and UTs
The letter has also drawn reference to a previous letter FSSAI Letter No. 4 (37)2017/Sates/RCD/FSSAI (Vol-1) dated 07.02.2019 in which state specific actions had been cited as per the recommendations of the CAG and PSC and which were communicated to all CoFS of all States and UTs. The letter also included the creation of separate Anti-Corruption units in the Department of Food Safety of all States and UTs.
The FSSAI has also stated that it has received various complaints alleging the seeking of graft and other malpractices against officials of the Department of Food Safety of States/UTs. Further, serious observations regarding corrupt practices have also been made by the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health & Family Welfare vide its 110th and 121st reports.
In this regard, the FSSAI has requested to ensure that such complaints about corruption be investigated expeditiously and stringent action should be taken, under appropriate conduct rules, against the delinquent officials who are found to have indulged in such corrupt practices.
Further the FSSAI has advised that the pendency related to complaints, major/minor penalty cases and pending investigations with departmental investigating officers should be reviewed periodically to ensure their timely and expeditious disposal.
In order to improve vigilance administration and to sensitize the public, vendors, contractors, suppliers etc. having dealings with the respective Departments of Food Safety, the notice boards need to be displayed in all the offices in the format which has been mentioned in the CVC circular No. 14/6/09 dated 5 June 2009, in Hindi, English as well as in the vernacular language of the area.
Further, all the measures related to the preventive vigilance and improving transparency in the functioning of the departments, including conducting of system audits, reducing human interface and discretion in conducting of inspections, training and awareness building amongst the Dos/FSOs etc. should be put in place to ensure that inspection process is streamlined and transparent and the same is used to regulate and monitor food safety and not harass any FBO.
The FSSAI has also asked the CoFS to send an action taken report on the above-mentioned matters. Also, the FSSAI would like the CoFS to share with FSSAI the details of such complaints alleging the corrupt practices against officials of the Department of Food Safety, along with action taken report on the same for the period 01 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.
Source : FSSAI
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