Dairy industry assured of all help

Chandigarh, October 15, 2012: The Punjab Government was committed to extend every possible help to the dairy sector of the state to enable it to meet the challenges thrown by Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Rules and Regulations. 

This was stated here today by  Jagpal Singh Sandhu, IAS, Financial Commissioner, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development, Punjab while delivering presidential address in the inaugural ceremony of one day National Seminar on Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and its impact on Dairy Industry today organized by Indian Dairy Association Punjab Chapter at Chandigarh.

He appreciated the proactive role of IDA Punjab Chapter which was an organization of producers of Milk and Milk Products taking up the responsibility to spread the awareness about the new law. This initiative of the producers organization speaks volumes of their readiness to comply with the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. He said that the new Act was very comprehensive and covers everything  which could be conceived as an item to be consumed by the human being. He paid rich tribute to Dr. V.Kurian, who is known as the Milkman of India and said that the philosophy with which he initiated the dairy cooperative movement was now more relevant.

Milk and milk products constitute a very vital component of our daily food in all age groups . Compliance with the new provisions in this sector was of prime concern. Moreover, it has unique predicament in many ways. Milk was  a highly perishable commodity and required critical infrastructural facilities to maintain the quality throughout the supply chain. Sandhu while emphasizing the need to comply with all the provisions of new regulations in view of the concern about the health of the consumer assured that the government would do everything possible to facilitate such a compliance by different stakeholders in dairy sector.

Inderjit Singh, Chairman , Indian Dairy Association, Punjab Chapter  in his welcome address gave a brief account of Indian Dairy Association and told that it is an apex National Body of Dairy Professionals. Punjab Chapter is its extended arm operating within the state. Today’s seminar was being organized by the State’s Chapter with the main objective of spreading awareness among different stakeholders. Since, the Act, Rules and Regulations were new and have very wider implications for all food business operators . Dairy sector supports a variety of large number of Food Business Operators having unique characteristics and problems. He thanked the Chief Guest and other dignitaries for sparing the time to grace the occasion. He appreciated the whole hearted support of  N.R.Bhasin, IDA President, M.P.S Chadha, Chairman, IDA, North Zone and Dairy Industry for their active support to make the seminar a success.

M.P.S Chadha, Chairman, IDA, North Zone while paying the tribute to Dr. V.Kurian described him as a one man army, which brought White Revolution in the country. He spearheaded Cooperative movement  in dairy sector. The whole gathering in the seminar paid rich tribute  to the Milkman of India by observing two minutes silence.

Dr. Karanjit Singh, Director, Family Welfare cum Nodal Officer(Food), Punjab in his address explained the status of implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 in Punjab. He told that Panchayats and Local Bodies have been authorised to register the petty Food Business Operators and Registration was being done by organization camps also. He assured that the department would ensure that Food Business Operators do not face any harassment.

Shruti Sharma, Technical Officer, FSSAI, New Delhi Dr. P.K. Singh,College of Dairy Science & Technology, GADVASU, Ludhiana,  Ujjwal Kumar, Country Head, CQM Suman Kumari, Technical Officer, FSSAI, New Delhi, Sh S.P Singh, IRQS Dr. P.K.Vats, Director, Food Safety, CQM made their presentations on different technical aspects involved in the FSSA 2006 in the two technical sessions, which were chaired by  M.P.S Chadha, Chairman, IDA, North Zone and Dr. G.S.Rajorhia. More than 100 delegates coming from different fields of dairy sector interacted with the speakers and got their doubts cleared.