According to the 5th edition of State Food Safety Index(SFSI 2022-2023) by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), with the inclusion of a new parameter (Improvement in SFSI Rank) in the 2023 index, 19 out of 20 large states recorded a drop in their 2023 scores from 2019.
- The index was released by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on World Food Safety Day 2023 (June 7 2023).
Key Points:
i.Adjusting for the new parameter, 15 out of 20 states recorded lower SFSI scores in 2022-2023 compared to 2019.
ii.Maharashtra has recorded the steepest fall in SFSI Score, from 74 out of 100 in 2019 to 45 in 2023, followed by Bihar(from 46 in 2019 to 20.5 in 2023), and Gujarat (from 73 in 2019 to 48.5 in 2023).
iii.The worst drop has been recorded in the ‘Food Testing Infrastructure’ parameter, where the average score for all large states dropped to 7 points out of 17 in 2023 from 13 points out of 20 in 2019.
iv.The average of total scores given to all states has also dropped in the 2023 Index.
- The average score dropped to 40 out of 100 in 2023.
- Previously, the average score was at 52 in 2019, 56 in 2020 and 51 for both 2021 & 2022.
Ranking & Score:
| Rank | State/UT | Score(2022-23) | Score(2018-19) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top 3 Large States | |||
| 1 | Kerala | 63 | 66 |
| 2 | Punjab | 57.5 | 47 |
| 3 | Tamil Nadu | 56.5 | 72 |
| Top 3 Small States | |||
| 1 | Goa | 51 | 75 |
| 2 | Manipur | 40 | 47 |
| 3 | Sikkim | 39.5 | 31 |
| Top 3 Union Territories | |||
| 1 | Jammu and Kashmir | 59.5 | 64 |
| 2 | Delhi | 49.5 | 57 |
| 3 | Chandigarh | 45 | 64 |
About State Food Safety Index:
i.SFSI acts as a tool to propel States and Union Territories to enhance their performance and establish robust food safety systems within their jurisdictions.
ii.It is the annual index released each year on the occasion of World Food Safety Day. The first FSSAI index was released in 2019.
Parameters of SFSI:
i.Since 2019, the SFSI measured the performance of states on 5 significant parameters of Food Safety.
ii.The 2023 index has included a new parameter “Improvement in SFSI Rank” which assesses improvement in each state’s rank from the year before.
iii.Parameters & Weightage
- Human Resources and Institutional Data — 18%
- Compliance — 28%
- Food Testing Infrastructure — 17%
- Training & Capacity Building — 8%
- Consumer Empowerment— 19%
- Improvement in SFSI Rank (added in 2023) — 10%
Note: 14 out of 20 large states received a zero under Improvement in SFSI Rank parameter.
About Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI):
Chairperson- Rajesh Bhushan
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 2008
