FSSAI makes food business permits permanent | India News
New Delhi: In a major relief for food businesses, the country’s food regulator has made licenses valid for life.Under the new rules notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), food licenses and registrations will now be permanently valid until canceled for violations. This means millions of restaurants, small eateries and vendors no longer have to renew their licenses every few years. The move is part of a larger overhaul that aims to ease compliance while tightening actual food safety checks.One of the biggest beneficiaries of this decision will be street vendors. Those already registered under the Street Vending Act will now automatically be considered registered under the Food Safety Act, eliminating the need for multiple registrations and fees.The regulator has also simplified how businesses are classified. Units with a turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore need only basic registration, while larger businesses will require state or central licenses based on size.The new system will be effective from April 1.Visits, too, are changing. Instead of routine checks, authorities will now follow a risk-based system: businesses with a good track record will face fewer inspections, while repeat offenders will be scrutinized more closely. Officials say the idea is to reduce paperwork and focus on actual food safety.At the same time, FSSAI has made it clear that there will be no relaxation in hygiene standards, especially for high-risk sectors like dairy, meat and packaged water.With most food businesses coming under state authority after the transition, states will play a larger role in monitoring and enforcement.For small businesses and vendors, the message is simple: fewer licenses, less hassle — but with stricter checks to see if the rules are broken.
