Former agriculture secretary Ashish Bahuguna has been appointed as the chairman of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) for three years tenure from 2015 to 2017.He succeeded K chandramouli who completed his tenure in January 2015 and the post of chairman of FSSAI is vacant after he completed his tenure .In third week of july , Health Secretary Bhanu Pratap Sharma was appointed temporarily in-charge of chairman of FSSAI.
“I will assume office this week .It’s a new and challenging role” Bahuguna said while taking charge.
Recently FSSAI is in news after it banned Nestle’s instant noodles Maggi for being “unsafe and hazardous “ for human consumption after it found having excessive levels of lead and presence of taste enhancer monosodium glutamate(MSG).
ABOUT ASHISH BAHUGUNA:
- Ashish Bahuguna has a degree in chemistry and law.Bahuguna is a 1978 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Rajasthan cadre who completed his tenure in February 2015.
- Previously he served in a number of senior positions within the Indian Government ,such as in the Ministry of Food processing Industries,Finance,and in state government of Rajasthan.
- Most recently he served as Special secretary and financial adiviser in the Agriculture Ministry before being appointed as Secretary for Agriculture and cooperation in May 2012.
ABOUT FSSAI:
- Ministry of Health & Family welfare ,government of India is the Administritative Ministry for the implementation of Food Safety and standards Authority of India(FSSAI)
- It is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through regulation and supervision of food safety.
- FSSAI has it’s headquarters in New Delhi and formed in August 2011.It has been established under the Food safety and standards act,2006 which is related to food safety and regulation in India.
- The chairperson of FSSAI should be in the rank of secretary to Government of India.
- It has 8 regional offices in Delhi,Chandigarh,Lucknow,Guwahati,Mumbai,Kolkata,Cochin and Chennai ,4 referral laboratories and 72 local laboratories throughout India.
