Government has extended by a year the compulsory registration of all food business operators (FBOs) in the country. A statutory advisory issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) , working under the Health Ministry, said that all food business operators carrying on food business in the country are to get themselves compulsorily registered with the FSSAI as per provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Licencing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011. Government had earlier allowed the operators to get themselves registered with the FSSAI till February 4 this year, but it later extended the time-line after representations from them to extend it to 4th February 2014.
The extension has been welcomed by small traders who have been vehemently opposing the provisions of the Food Safety Act.