New Delhi (08.11.2024): Amid talks over the competent authority for certification of food items in various states including Uttar Pradesh, the post of a permanent Chairman of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is lying vacant for three years after former Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia (Retd IAS:1981:GJ) completed her three-year term in November 2021.
Punya Salila Srivastava (IAS: 1993: UT), Union Secretary for Health & Family Welfare, is currently holding the additional charge of FSSAI Chairperson playing a very crucial role of ensuring the safety and standards of food in India. There was a confusion over who shall be appointed as FSSAI Chairman whether a bureaucrat or scientist. Name of a retired IAS officer was recommended for the same but reportedly, top authorities wanted a scientist or a domain expert to head FSSAI. Currently FSSAI is functionally being headed by G Kamala Vardhana Rao (Retd IAS: 1990: KN), the incumbent CEO of FSSAI.
The name of the scientist (Director of an institute under CSIR) was later recommended and the ACC was expected to clear the name but it did not happen. Before Srivastava, Rajesh Bhushan (Retd IAS: 1987: BH), Union Secretary for Health & Family Welfare, was holding the additional charge of Chairman, FSSAI. Apporva Chandra, another Health Secretary, too headed FSSAI. This is to note that the last full-time Chairperson of FSSAI was Union Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia, who was appointed to the post for a period of three years on November 17, 2019.
Post of full-time Chairman of FSSAI vacant for last 3 years
By IndianMandarins - 2024-11-08 13:22:00
New Delhi (08.11.2024): Amid talks over the competent authority for certification of food items in various states including Uttar Pradesh, the post of a permanent Chairman of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is lying vacant for three years after former Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia (Retd IAS:1981:GJ) completed her three-year term in November 2021.
Punya Salila Srivastava (IAS: 1993: UT), Union Secretary for Health & Family Welfare, is currently holding the additional charge of FSSAI Chairperson playing a very crucial role of ensuring the safety and standards of food in India. There was a confusion over who shall be appointed as FSSAI Chairman whether a bureaucrat or scientist. Name of a retired IAS officer was recommended for the same but reportedly, top authorities wanted a scientist or a domain expert to head FSSAI. Currently FSSAI is functionally being headed by G Kamala Vardhana Rao (Retd IAS: 1990: KN), the incumbent CEO of FSSAI.
The name of the scientist (Director of an institute under CSIR) was later recommended and the ACC was expected to clear the name but it did not happen. Before Srivastava, Rajesh Bhushan (Retd IAS: 1987: BH), Union Secretary for Health & Family Welfare, was holding the additional charge of Chairman, FSSAI. Apporva Chandra, another Health Secretary, too headed FSSAI. This is to note that the last full-time Chairperson of FSSAI was Union Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia, who was appointed to the post for a period of three years on November 17, 2019.
