PAC questions FSSAI for unchecked sale of adulterated food items

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) headed by senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal on Friday (November 21, 2025) held a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to discuss a range of issues related to food safety and quality control.

Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani were present at the meeting.

Members of the committee raised serious concerns over the unchecked sale of adulterated goods, particularly adulterated sweets being sold during the festive season. They pointed out that the practice continues despite repeated public warnings and enforcement drives.

The committee also drew attention to the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report, which highlighted an acute shortage of manpower within the FSSAI.

Members sought an explanation from the authorities concerned on the steps taken to address these staffing gaps. During the meeting, several members expressed concern about misleading advertisements for food products and the lack of stringent checks on food labels. Questions were also raised regarding FSSAI’s decision to outsource technical work instead of building internal capacity.

Following the deliberations, the PAC directed both the Health Ministry and the FSSAI to submit detailed replies to the issues raised. The committee said a follow-up meeting would be convened to review their responses.