The Hindu Business Line : Integrated food law soon: Sahay

Mr Subodh Kant Sahay, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries (right), being welcomed by Mr Y.K. Modi, President, FICCI, at a meeting in the Capital on Wednesday. — Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , July 28

THE Government said on Wednesday it is working towards the formulation of an integrated food law and a single regulatory entity for the food processing sector.

Exhorting the industry to become competitive so as to face global challenges under WTO, the Minister of State (independent charge) for Food Processing, Mr Subodh Kant Sahay, assured all support to companies willing to develop modern facilities and world-class products. Lamenting the fact that the food park scheme has not had adequate response, Mr Sahay announced the setting up of 500 such parks within the Tenth Five Year Plan across each Parliamentary constituency.

Noting that his Ministry's initiative to provide funding for research and development projects had also not taken off since research proposals have not come in from industry so far, the Minister requested India Inc to submit its projects.

``The Group of Ministers under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar, is making all efforts to ensure that an integrated food law be formulated in a time-bound manner with a single regulatory agency.

``I promise the law would soon become a reality and we are working overtime for thus,'' he said, while addressing a FICCI conference here.

Expressing concern over adulteration affecting India's global market share, the Minister said currently around 35 per cent of the products do not adhere to international quality standards and unless internationally competitive quality and safety benchmarks are evolved, the industry would not be able to tap foreign markets to its true potential.

In its observations, FICCI's food wing, CIFTI, asked the Minister for greater financial support.

Besides, it also sought more incentives for infrastructure improvement, a one-time amendment of basic food law and standards integrating existing norms and the need to encourage more value addition in processed foods.

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