Guwahati: COVID-19 and the lockdown has been harsh and many have been rendered jobless. Several have tried to earn a living by selling home-made food items. But did you know that if you do not have a licence or registrations from the state food safety department then you might have to cough up a fine of upto Rs 5 lakh or end up in jail for six months?
As per rules set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, state food safety department issues the licence for such food units.
A licence is mandatory for units with sales of over Rs 12 lakh and registration is mandatory for those with revenues below Rs 12 lakh per annum.
The law regarding licensing and registration of food units has been around since 2011 under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulation.
Not many people were aware of the provisions of the law and that licence and registration are must haves if someone is selling home cooked food.
For those of who have not filled out the forms yet can now apply online by visiting the FSSAI site. The official site also has detailed FAQs on how to apply and where to check the status of the application.
To apply, the owner of the food unit must provide basic personal details as well as those of the establishment, and also shall upload a passport size photo and an ID proof.
Serving adulterated food could lead to imprisonment depending on the nature of the crime. If any food units are selling food without labels, then they will have to pay a fine of upto Rs 3 lakh.
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