Jammu, December 2, 2025 : In a major push to strengthen food safety across Jammu and Kashmir, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has carried out 13,944 routine inspections during 2025, significantly exceeding its annual targets and tightening its grip on violators involved in food adulteration and unsafe practices.
FDA Commissioner Smetha Sethi said the department collected 10,620 food samples, surpassing the yearly target of 7,080—achieving more than 150% performance compared to last year. In addition to routine checks, officers conducted 1,423 risk-based inspections across the Union Territory.
To improve compliance among Food Business Operators (FBOs), the FDA issued 943 Improvement Notices under Section 32 of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006—far above the target of 625. These notices mandate corrective action to upgrade hygiene and infrastructure standards.
Legal Action and Penalties
Under the civil adjudication mechanism defined in Section 30 of the FSS Act, the department launched 718 prosecutions, of which 671 cases have already been decided, resulting in penalties totaling ₹84.33 lakh.
Further, 21 criminal cases were registered for unsafe food practices, leading to 10 convictions, including fines and imprisonment.
Special Enforcement Drives
Providing details of special drives conducted in November, Sethi said:
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Ghee Drive:
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80.78 kg of adulterated stock seized
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41 samples tested; 12 failed quality standards
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Prohibition orders issued against manufacturers
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Findings shared with FSSAI and concerned states for action
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Poly Pack Milk Drive:
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95 samples tested; 2 samples failed quality checks
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Packaged Drinking Water:
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32 samples tested; results awaited
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The commissioner stressed that these targeted operations demonstrate the FDA’s commitment to ensuring the availability of safe, hygienic, and wholesome food across Jammu and Kashmir.
