The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is conducting a three-week induction training program, ‘Nurturing Individual Potential and Unleashing Networking’ (NIPUN), for its newly recruited officials. The recently opened National Training Centre was officially inaugurated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare on 31 May 2023. This is the first step towards enhancing staff training and capacity building for food safety officials, designated officers, and staff members.

The 6th NIPUN was inaugurated by G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, chief executive officer, FSSAI, at the National Training Centre for Food Safety and Standards, Ghaziabad. While welcoming the newly hired officials, Rao said, “Your role is pivotal in maintaining food safety and quality which will impact the lives of 140 crore people”. He further added that this training will help enhance the skills and knowledge about the food safety ecosystem of the country.

FSSAI has trained more than 11 lakh food handlers and FBOs as Food Safety Supervisors since 2017, with an average rate of 2 Lakh trainees per year. With more than 72 lakh FBOs in the country, FSSAI is gearing up to train 25 lakh food handlers and FBOs in the next three years, beginning with the current financial year.

NIPUN is a flagship Induction Training Programme for Direct Recruits of FSSAI. The program design comprising three weeks of classroom training followed by on-the-job exposure to the functioning of FSSAI at Regional Offices is envisaged to sensitize the direct recruits to the paramount mandate of the apex food regulator.

This training program aims at fostering fundamental knowledge about food safety and standards, as well as an understanding of the organizational structure of FSSAI, including the Food Authority, Central Advisory Committee, scientific panels/committees, and the general aspects of food safety in terms of products, practices, value chain, and ecosystem. The program will feature various technical sessions covering topics such as Indian Food Laws, Standardization, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Compliance, Codex, Food Imports, and more. Additionally, it will cover administrative aspects, including rules, benefits and claims, office procedures, public procurement and financial rules, conduct and discipline rules, and eOffice.

A group of 52 recently recruited Deputy Directors, Food Analysts, and Technical Officers will undergo this three-week program at the National Training Centre for Food Safety and Standards in Ghaziabad. Following the program, they will receive two weeks of on-the-job training at the Southern Regional Office in Chennai and the Northern Regional Office in Ghaziabad