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Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Saturday said the biggest issue concerning food safety in India is that it is causing "public health havoc" which people are yet to realise. People often view illnesses from the health point rather than linking them to the food and beverages they consume, he opined. Speaking at a press conference after the 'Tukaram Se Takkar' talk session at Karnavati University in Ahmedabad, Mundhe also said several laws, rules and regulations related to food safety are already in place, but are not being properly followed. "The largest or the biggest issue in India regarding food safety is that it is causing public health havoc. We are not realising it. The sooner we understand and appreciate it, the better it will be for us," the IAS officer said. The issue with food safety is that regulations in place are not being followed, he said. "Rules do exist, acts do exist. Except maybe licensing and registration, no regulation is
The Maharashtra government on Saturday declared drought in 265 of its 358 talukas, or 74 per cent of the state, amid rainfall deficit and announced relief measures, including crop loan restructuring, land revenue concessions, and power bill subsidies. The government will announce financial assistance for crop losses after the prescribed procedure. According to a government resolution (GR) issued late on Friday, 265 talukas spread across 32 districts cover 74 per cent of the state. At 74, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has the highest number of drought-affected talukas. Another government order issued on Saturday said that a separate GR will be issued on financial assistance for crop losses suffered by farmers in the 265 talukas after the prescribed procedure. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed district collectors to initiate crop-damage assessments immediately and assured that farmers remain the centre of the government's relief efforts. Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar said
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has ordered removal of Maharashtra Cooperation minister Babasaheb Patil and seven other directors of the Latur District Central Cooperative Bank for exceeding the 10-year tenure limit. Patil belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. The central bank's order followed directions passed by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court in response to a petition filed by bank member Satish Sheshrao Jadhav. RBI Assistant General Manager Kapil Goswami issued the order on Friday. Directors of District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs/Central Cooperative Banks) have a maximum tenure cap of ten years under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, as amended by the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025. Earlier, State Cooperation Department Deputy Secretary Sudhir Amrite had written to the Cooperation Commissioner, Pune, seeking action against directors of district central cooperative banks who had completed more than 10
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday said it has suspended the licences of Cafe Mondegar, a popular restaurant, and three other food establishments in Mumbai after inspections found serious food safety and hygiene violations. The FDA inspected Cafe Mondegar at Metro House in Colaba on September 12 and found serious deficiencies in safety and hygiene, including failure to keep hot food above the prescribed 60 degrees Celsius and cold storage below 5 degrees Celsius, the regulator said in a release. Officials found improper thawing of food, inadequate rapid cooling of cooked food and sanitation and structural deficiencies at the restaurant that posed a risk of cross-contamination. The state agency also suspended the licences of Maharashtra Biryani Centre in Kandivali East, Tribhuvan Dairy Farm in Ghatkopar West and Mahavir Cashew & Foods Pvt Ltd in Ghatkopar East after inspections found violations of Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards Act. Schedule .
The Cockroach Janta Party said on Sunday that its members and founder Abhijeet Dipke will join students in their protests over alleged paper leaks in various online examinations conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). The CJP made the announcement after a group of MPSC aspirants met Dipke at the latter's home in the Waluj area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The agitation seeking the resignation of the MPSC chairman and secretary would be taken forward, while a statewide tour would be undertaken to interact with MPSC aspirants if the demand was not met by September 24, the CJP said in a release. Dipke and CJP members would join the protesters, it said. After his meeting with MPSC aspirants, Dipke said in a video message, "I and CJP are with MPSC aspirants in this fight. We will stand with the aspirants till the resignations (of top MPSC officials)." MPSC aspirants have staged protests in parts of the state, demanding transparency in the recruitment process and
Scores of MPSC aspirants staged a protest in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Tuesday, alleging widespread corruption and paper leaks, and demanded a high-level probe into the recent recruitment examinations. Protesters gathered at the Kranti Chowk area of the city, demanding the immediate appointment of officers with a "clean image" to the top posts in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). A similar march was held in Pune on Monday. ''An efficient officer with a clean image like (state FDA commissioner) Tukaram Mundhe should be posted to MPSC; only then students will get justice. We come from families of farmers and come here to study and fulfil the dreams of our parents," one of the protesting aspirants said. The Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating a question paper leak involving the MPSC Drug Inspector (Group-B) screening examination held in March. The police have arrested seven persons, including a female candidate who had secured seventh rank in the exam
Danish biosimilars producer Novonesis on Wednesday announced a Rs 6,600 crore investment in Maharashtra's Patalganga to expand an enzyme plant over the next four years. Expected to be fully operational by 2030, the expanded facility will produce enzymes for a broad range of industries, including biofuels, household care, and food and beverages, as per an official statement. The facility will help it meet increasing demand from emerging markets, including those in the Middle East, Africa, India and South Asia, its president and chief executive Ester Baiget said. "These markets represent an important and growing part of the company's business and are expected to grow faster than developed markets in the coming years," Baiget added. Its chief operating officer, Anders Lund, said the Patalganga facility will get it closer to customers and also help strengthen its scale, operational resilience, efficiency, and supply flexibility. In the past, it has invested in plant expansions in ...
The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved a policy aimed at eradicating drugs from the state by 2029 through extensive public awareness and strict action against narcotics with the participation of all departments. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to undertake such a comprehensive campaign, involving coordination among various departments, to create a drug-free state, a statement issued by the government said. Under the policy, strict action will be taken against the cultivation of crops that contribute to the production of illegal drugs, as well as the production, transportation, sale and consumption of natural and synthetic drugs. "The policy will focus on extensive public awareness and strict action against drugs, with the participation of all departments of the state government. To ensure the successful implementation of this comprehensive policy, responsibilities have been assigned from the village level to the district, divisional and ministerial levels," the ..
IHG Hotels & Resorts on Monday said it has signed a management agreement with Discover Resorts Neral Pvt. Ltd. for a 200-key voco in Karjat, Maharashtra. The property will convert to IHG's premium brand by early 2028, the global hospitality company said in a statement. "voco is well suited to a destination like Karjat, where travellers are looking for a premium experience that feels distinctive, relaxed, and connected to the character of the place." said Sudeep Jain, IHG Hotels & Resorts Managing Director, South West Asia. IHG currently has 53 open hotels operating across seven brands in India and a strong pipeline of 110 hotels due to open in the next 3-5 years.
Three newborns were killed when a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a government hospital in Maharashtra's Amravati district early on Monday, officials said. The incident occurred at the district women's hospital, they said. A ventilator in the NICU on the third floor of the hospital suddenly sparked at 3.15 am, triggering a fire in the unit, an official said. After the blaze erupted, doctors, nurses and other staff on duty took the children out of the NICU. Three of the newborns died, the official said. Six infants have been admitted to a super speciality hospital, he added.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licences of the Bombay Presidency Radio Club and a McDonald's outlet in south Mumbai along with 12 other food establishments across the state for alleged violations of food safety and hygiene norms, officials said on Friday. The FDA is in news since IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe took charge as its commissioner in May and launched a crackdown on food establishments found violating various laws and rules. In a recent special drive, it inspected 89 hotels, restaurants and dhabas across the state, and issued improvement notices to 71 establishments while suspending the licences of 13 food establishments, an official release said. During an inspection carried out on August 19, Radio Club recorded a non-compliance rate of 47 per cent, and was asked to stop all purchase, sale and distribution of food during the suspension period, it said. Officials allegedly found a large number of live flies and dead ...