Government proposes to introduce standards for alcoholic beverages

New Delhi: The government proposes to introduce regulatory norms and standards for alcoholic beverages, the Lok Sabha was informed on July 31. "Yes. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has accorded in principle approval to the draft regulations for alcoholic beverages.

"These standards will be finalized after inviting public/ stakeholders's objections and suggestions and thereafter examining them," Health Minister J P Nadda told the Lok Sabha. He said that presently the standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) are followed to check the quality standards of alcoholic beverages.

In another reply, he said the government proposes to prescribe guidelines for the standardisation, certification and testing of organic food items being sold in the country. "Yes. The FSSAI has approved the draft food safety and standards (organic food products) regulations in its 16th meeting held on January 2015.

"These standards will be finalized after inviting public/ stakeholders objections and suggestions. With finalization of these standards and certification of products as 'organic food' by the department of Agriculture and Cooperation, it would be possible to increase the safety of such foods," Nadda said.

In another reply, Nadda said that in 2015, till June 30, 87 applications for clinical trials were received by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) of which 137 permissions were granted, including permissions granted for applications received earlier.