NEW DELHI. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved major reforms in food safety regulations to improve ease of doing business while maintaining strong safety standards. The reforms, finalised after consultations with states, Union Territories and industry stakeholders, follow recommendations of a committee formed by NITI Aayog. A key change is perpetual validity of registrations and licences issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), eliminating the need for periodic renewals and reducing compliance costs for food businesses.
From April 1, 2026, businesses with annual turnover up to ₹1.5 crore will require only basic registration, while those up to ₹50 crore will fall under state licensing and larger firms under central licensing. The reforms will also reduce duplicate registrations for street vendors already registered under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, benefiting over 10 lakh vendors by simplifying procedures and helping them focus on their livelihoods while maintaining food hygiene standards.
