**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to an unstarred question (No. 2330) regarding the implementation of the Food Safety Management System (FSMS) guidelines by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in places of worship. The answer details the responsibilities of FSSAI in setting food safety standards and the shared responsibility of the central and state governments in enforcing the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006. It also mentions the Eat Right Place of Worship Certification Programme aimed at encouraging food safety in religious places. The document includes an annexure presenting data on training and certification programs conducted for food handlers in religious places during 2023-2025. The question was to be answered on 13th February, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **FSSAI Mandate:**
* FSSAI is responsible for setting science-based standards for food articles.
* FSSAI regulates the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food to ensure safe consumption.
* **FSS Act, 2006 Implementation:**
* The Central and State Governments share responsibility for implementing and enforcing the FSS Act, 2006.
* **FBO Licensing:**
* Food Business Operators (FBOs), including those providing food services at religious places, must obtain a license or registration certificate.
* FBOs at religious places must comply with provisions under the FSS Act, 2006, and adhere to hygienic and sanitary practices as specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011.
* **Eat Right Place of Worship Certification Programme:**
* This initiative encourages places of worship to adopt and maintain food safety and hygiene practices.
* It aims to create awareness about safe and hygienic food practices in these places.
* A total of 2,111 Places of Worship have been certified under the Eat Right Place of Worship programme to date.
* **Training and Certification Programmes (2023-2025):**
* The total number of training and certification programs conducted for food handlers, including those in religious places, is detailed in the annexure, state/UT-wise.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Food Business Operators (FBOs) at Religious Places**
* **Impact:**
* Must comply with the provisions and requirements of the FSS Act, 2006.
* Required to adhere to specific hygiene and sanitary practices.
* **Action Required:**
* Obtain necessary licenses or registration certificates.
* Participate in the Eat Right Place of Worship Certification Programme.
* Comply with regulations under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011.
**Stakeholder: Central and State Governments**
* **Impact:**
* Shared responsibility in implementing and enforcing the FSS Act, 2006.
* **Action Required:**
* Work together to ensure FSSAI guidelines are followed.
* Monitor and enforce food safety standards in religious places.
* Support the Eat Right Place of Worship Certification Programme.
**Stakeholder: General Public / Consumers**
* **Impact:**
* Ensured availability of safe and wholesome food at religious places.
* **Action Required:**
* No direct action required.
Key Entities Referenced
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): Mandated to lay down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import.
Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006: Legislation ensuring safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Food Safety Management System (FSMS): System whose implementation by FSSAI guidelines is mentioned in places of worship.
Eat Right Place of Worship Certification Programme: Initiative to encourage places of worship to adopt and maintain food safety and hygiene practices.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Primary government body responsible for health and family welfare policies, including food safety.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.2330
TO BE ANSWERED ON13THFEBRUARY, 2026
IMPLEMENTATION OF FOOD SAFETYMANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FSMS)
2330. SHRI G LAKSHMINARAYANA:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a)the current status of implementation of FoodSafetyManagement System (FSMS)
guidelinesbyFSSAIin placesof worship;
(b) the totalnumberof places of worship inthe countryandthe number/percentagethat have
adoptedFSMSguidelines, State/UT-wise;
(c)the numberof FoodHygiene Supervisors appointedfor such institutions, State/UT-wise,
includingAndhra Pradesh;
(d) the numberof trainingandcertification programmesconductedfor FoodSafety
Supervisorsandfood handlersduring the last three years, alongwith institutions covered,
State/UT-wise;
(e)the numberof inspectionsconducted/samples tested/violationsdetectedand legalactions
takenbythe Government inthis regard,State/UT-wise; and
(f) the keygapsandchallengesin adoptionandenforcementof FSMSinplacesof worship?
ANSWER
THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (f): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay down
science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage,
distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human
consumption. The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS)
Act, 2006isa shared responsibility between the Central andStateGovernments.As per Section 31 of FSS Act, 2006, it is mandatory for any Food Business
Operators (FBOs), including Food Service at religious places, to obtain a license or
registration certificate for commencing or carrying on any food-related activities. The
specific clause states, "No person shall commence or carry on any food business except
undera license".
Accordingly, all such FBOsengaged infood service at religious placesare required
to comply with the provisions and requirements stipulated under the FSS Act, 2006 and
regulations made thereunder. Further, these FBOs including Food Service at religious
places are required to adhere to the ‘Specific Hygienic and Sanitary practices to be
followed by FoodBusiness Operators engagedincatering / food service establishments’ as
specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food
Businesses) Regulation,2011.
Eat Right Place of Worship Certification Programme is undertaken to encourage
places of Worship to adopt and maintain food safety and hygiene practices during
preparation and distribution of prasad/food in the premises. The initiative aims to create
awareness among Places of Worship regarding the importance of safe and hygienic food
practices. As on date, a total of 2,111 Places of Worship have been certified under the Eat
Right Place of Worship programme. The total number of training and certification
programmes conducted for the food handlers including religious places during the Year
2023,2024& 2025,State/UT-wise, isat Annexure.
*******Annexure
Total numberof training andcertificationprogrammes conductedfor thefood
handlersincluding religiousplacesduring theYear2023,2024 & 2025
Total foodhandlers
SNo. State Total trainings trained
1 Andaman& Nicobar Islands 23 1065
2 Andhra Pradesh 667 26865
3 Arunachal Pradesh 35 956
4 Assam 782 25786
5 Bihar 567 34078
6 Chandigarh 122 4331
7 Chhattisgarh 403 17535
8 Dadra & Nagar Haveli Daman& Diu 13 321
9 Delhi 1179 40901
10 Goa 309 9801
11 Gujarat 1380 59996
12 Haryana 2035 201840
13 Himachal Pradesh 412 15076
14 Jammu & Kashmir 241 10413
15 Jharkhand 466 26464
16 Karnataka 2350 101954
17 Kerala 2945 112151
18 Ladakh 47 2387
19 Lakshadweep 23 1297
20 Madhya Pradesh 1220 72432
21 Maharashtra 5694 347892
22 Manipur 49 1759
23 Meghalaya 183 7198
24 Mizoram 24 1013
25 Nagaland 77 2008
26 Orissa 711 36100
27 Puducherry 52 1921
28 Punjab 898 26745
29 Rajasthan 1410 59151
30 Sikkim 67 2852
31 Tamil Nadu 9465 369505
32 Telangana 994 36587
33 Tripura 229 12317
34 Uttarakhand 469 16573
35 Uttar Pradesh 2681 133992
36 West Bengal 1387 60245