CII welcomes Food Safety Bill

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has welcomed the introduction of the Food Safety and Standards Bill 2005 by the Minister of Food Processing in the Lok Sabha, last week.

This had been a long-standing demand of the members of CII to have a single food law that would eliminate the existing multiplicity of laws and agencies that governed the industry.

The proposal to create a food safety and standards authority will also give a fillip to the growth of the food processing industry across the country.

The food processing industry has been recognised as one of the 'sunrise' industries of India, with huge potential, both in the domestic and international markets.

While there has been much investment in this industry, the absence of a single law and single authority had long been considered a major hindrance especially for small and medium companies in the food processing industry, added the release.

CII also proposed that there be equal representation of all stakeholders in the composition of the Central Advisory Committee and there ought to be a classification of offenses.

This would imply that those not injurious, should be allowed compounding, whereas those that cause grievous injury or should result in imprisonment.

The industry association has also suggested that samples of food analyzed by a food analyst must also be analyzed by a Referral Accredited Laboratory, recognised by the food authority.