Restaurants and dhabas will soon be assigned grades in accordance with their compliance with quality and safety norms set by the government, and they may even lose licence for failing to maintain required standards.
"We will adopt a grading system for eating-establishments such as small- and medium-sized restaurants and road-side dhabas. Once they are assigned the grades, they need to act accordingly," Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) Chairman P I Suvrathan said here today.
An eating-establishment getting a low grade may even face licence cancellation, he said.
The authority, which has prepared the draft guidelines, is consulting all stakeholders, including various states, and hopes to come up with final norms by March, Suvrathan said.
Food inspectors in each district, who would be called food safety officers once the guidelines are approved, will be assigned the task of grading restaurants and dhabas.
"We will have a more nuanced approach towards licensing such establishments," he said.
The proposed guidelines assume importance as the Centre seeks to enhance compliance standards by such establishments before the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.
Though small street-vendors will not be subjected to the grading system, the FSSA has decided to educate them in adopting hygienic practices.
At present, though street vendors are not mandated to obtain licence for business, they are required to register with the government authority.
The FSSA will soon set up panels of scientists to review and recommend safety standards, Suvrathan said.
