General Awareness play a vital role in all Examination. we can expect Questions from different Topics.In Banking and other competitive exams like RRB, CDS, LIC AO, RBI, SSC, UPSC, FCI, UIIC, OICL, SBI Clerks and PO the questions on Food Safety Mitra (FSM) scheme are being asked. Here we have given Study notes on latest government scheme : Food Safety Mitra (FSM) scheme for SSC CGL Examinations 2019-20 & other examination. Candidates those who are all preparing for the Examination can use this study material.
On 16 October 2019 the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched the Food Safety Mitra (FSM) scheme. The scheme aims to support small and medium scale food business houses to follow the laws on food safety and facilitate hygiene ratings, licensing and registration and training.
India is one of the largest food markets in the world with over 32 lakh registered food business operators and a whole host of unregistered food joints. Like any vast industry, there are a number of challenges that food business houses face.
Therefore schemes like ‘Food Safety Mitra’ make food business easier to manage.
The theme for the day was ‘Healthy Diets for a Zero Hunger World’.
‘Eat Right Jacket’ and ‘Eat Right Jhola’ initiatives were also launched to strengthen the food safety administration and to scale up the Eat Right India movement.
The Food Safety Mitra scheme aims to support small and medium-scale food businesses so as to comply with the food safety laws and will facilitate them with the licensing and registration process, hygiene ratings and training programme.
The FSMs would undergo training and certification that will be conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in order to get paid by food businesses for their services.
The scheme would also create new employment opportunities for youth (particularly with food and nutrition background).
The role of the Safety Mitra will be four-fold:
Digital Mitra: This Mitra will help establishments and individuals apply for licenses or registrations, look into issues of suspended licenses and registrations, among others.
Hygiene Mitra: This mitra will conduct various audits at outlets to check if they are meeting all the safety and hygiene standards. They will also be responsible for training food safety supervisors and food handlers in safe and hygienic practices of handling food.
Currently, according to official records, there are only 32 lakh establishments, with licenses or are registered. With the introduction of this scheme the aim is to double this number.
Trainer Mitra: This Mitra will help train food safety supervisors and conduct training at FSSAI certified ‘Eat Right’ campuses. As of now, there are about 1.55 lakh trainers and with this scheme, the intent is to increase that number to at least 10 lakh trainers.
Campaign Ambassadors: This last category will play an important role in creating awareness amongst consumers. These ambassadors will spread this message of Food Mitras by creating campaigns across social media platforms and other available channels.
Benefit of this to the consumer?
Food can easily get contaminated at any stage, from its production to distribution. Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances, causes diseases like diarrhoea to cancers. An estimated 600 million fall ill after eating contaminated food and 4,20,000 die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years.
As consumers, we must read labels before buying our food products, handle and prepare food as per FSSAI prescribed guidelines and dine at hygienic places that have all the requisite licenses and registrations.
With 50,000 Food Safety Mitra’s to be certified over the next 5 years, this is a step in the right direction to ensure that we eat right and stay healthy.
