Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday launched Food Mitra Scheme which aims at motivating and facilitating food business operators (FBOs) and people for maintaining food hygiene.
The scheme, which also aims to strengthen 'Eat Right India' movement, was launched on World Food Day.
The minister said that Food Safety Mitra will be a professionally trained person with certification from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) who would assist in compliances related to Food Safety and Standards Act.
The Food Safety Mitra will have three avatars - Digital Mitra, Trainer Mitra and Hygiene Mitra.
It is estimated that through Food Safety Mitra, more than 25 lakh FBOs can be engaged by providing them services such as licensing, registration, hygiene rating and training.
The scheme will create an ecosystem for capacity building besides generating employment. Around 50,000 entrepreneurs are expected to join the Food Safety Mitra scheme.
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"Food Safety Mitra will play a significant role in sensitising people about good standard of food hygiene. They will also help FBOs in compliances related to FSS Act, rules and regulations. The bottom line is that it is an initiative that will work serve our purpose of Eat Right India and Fit India Movement," Harsh Vardhan told ANI.
"It will also lead to improved ease of doing business by creating a transparent and organised ecosystem where food businesses will be able to get service providers at fair prices, lowering the cost of compliance," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI said the effort is to create a last-mile self-driven compliance structure through the Food Safety Mitra scheme which complements the work of FSSAI and the state food authorities.
He said the ecosystem is multi-layered responsive to the needs of FBOs.
FSSAI has an online portal for the Food Safety Mitra where any person desiring to join the scheme can enrol.