No winners yet

There has been a lot of controversy over the issue of which ministry will control the proposed law. Under the current regime, the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act is administered by the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW). It is a common practice all over the world that health or related ministries administer standards to safeguard public health. Reputed food standard and safety institutions are under ministries of health or environment. In both the US and the UK, the food and drug administration functions under the environment and health department.

However, in India, there continues to be a bitter battle. On the one side are industry barons, who are pushing the cause of the ministry of food processing industries. On the other side there are not so articulate voices demanding that the mandate should remain with the MoHFW. The matter was so contested that the prime minister was left to decide. It is understood that his office asked the Planning Commission for its opinion, which set up a panel under R A Mashelkar, director general of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. It is reported that it has recommended that MoHFW should be the nodal ministry. But the newspaper that reported the decision also said the committee was unwilling to admit this in public. The parliamentary standing committee has also said food safety should be regulated by health authorities. But the minister of food processing industries is unwilling to give up. Recently, he said no final decision had been taken.