The Central Government has announced the date on which a key provision of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 will come into effect. The provision in question, serial number 35 in the Schedule of the Act, pertains to amendments to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This notification was issued on 8th November, 2023.
The Central Government has appointed the 8th November, 2023 as the official day on which this crucial amendment will be enforced. The decision underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing and modernizing the regulatory landscape to address contemporary challenges in the realm of food safety.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 has reduced the punishment given to a person who manufactures for sale or stores or sells or distributes or imports any article of food that is unsafe for human consumption but does not result in injury. Prior to the an Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, the punishment would be imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months and also with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees.
It has also reduced the punishment for false information from imprisonment for a term up to three months and also with fine up to two lakh rupees. The punishment has now been limited to a penalty which may extend to ten lakh rupees.
Similarly, the punishment for carrying out a food business without licence has also been greatly reduced. The punishment which was previously imprisonment for six months and a fine of five lakh rupees has now been reduced to a penalty of ten lakh rupees.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 has watered down the punitive actions under the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006. It has substituted punishments with penalties. In some cases, it has reduced the gravity of penalties under the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006.
