Nagpur News : A delegation of NVCC led by Dipen Agrawal, President met Dr.Harsh Vardhan the newly elected Member of Parliament from New Delhi, Agrawal greeted him with floral bouquet on his elevation as the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare.
Dipen Agrawal, drew the attention of Dr.Harsh Vardhan the recent orders of Food & Drugs Administration due to which the Food item producers were in trouble as the department has served notice to the Food item producers demanding filing of returns for the year 2012-13 to the Food & Drugs Department. For non-filing of returns, the department is demanding Rs.100 per day as penalty amounting to Rs. 36,500 for one year. This order is unjustified and unreasonable. The producers are ready to submit the returns for the year 2012-2013 but for non-availability of records they are experiencing hardships.
He requested Dr.Harsh Vardhan to look into the matter personally & solve the problems of small producers viz. bakery, ice-cream, kulfi, papad makers etc. by waiving penalty of Rs. 100 per day & also extending the last date of return by 30 days so as to enable manufacturing licensee to file reruns of 2012-13 & 2014 . He also emphasized on necessary amendments to be carried out immediately in regulations to clarify that filing of returns is only applicable to manufacturing licensee & not to traders, restaurants, distributors etc.
Dr. Harshvardhan, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare patiently heard above problems explained by the delegation of NVCC and said that he will soon discuss the matter with authorities of FSSAI & solve the issues shortly. He further directed the delegation to discuss the referred matter with Arun Panda , Joint Secretary Ministry of Health & Family Welfare , GOI. The delegation after meeting the Joint Secretary got positive assurance from him that the issue would be resolved at the earliest.
Dipen Agrawal thanks Nitin Ji Gadkari Hon’ble Minister of Transport to have arranged the meeting with Dr. Harsh Vardhan at such a short notice & also writing to him to resolve the issue of penalty at the earliest.
Prominently present in the delegation were Nilesh Suchak, Past President & Bhavanishanker Dave, Convener, Food Safety Act Sub Committee of NVCC, states in a press note issued by Hemant Gandhi, Hon. Secretary of the Chamber.
