Question map
Consider the following statements : 1. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. 2. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is under the charge of Director General of Health Services in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Explanation
The correct answer is option A (1 only).
**Statement 1 is correct:** The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, along with various other Central Acts like Fruit Products Order 1955, Meat Food Products Order 1973, and others, were repealed after the enactment of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006.[1] This consolidation was done to streamline food safety regulations in India.
**Statement 2 is incorrect:** The Central Government established the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as an independent body to exercise powers and perform functions under the Act.[2] The authority functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.[3] However, FSSAI is not under the charge of the Director General of Health Services; it operates as an autonomous statutory body with its own Chairperson and administrative structure, though it functions within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Therefore, only statement 1 is correct.
Sources- [1] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 12: Supply Chain and Food Processing Industry > 12.7 FSS Act 2006 and FSSAI > p. 373
- [2] https://prsindia.org/files/bills_acts/acts_parliament/2006/the-food-safety-and-standards-act-2006.pdf
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewStatement 1 is standard static material found in every Economy book under 'Food Processing'. Statement 2 is a classic 'Administrative Hierarchy Trap'—UPSC loves confusing a Statutory Authority's autonomy with a subordinate office's reporting line. If you knew FSSAI is an autonomous statutory body, you could guess it doesn't report to a Director General.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Did the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (India) replace the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954?
- Statement 2: Is the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the administrative charge of the Director General of Health Services in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India)?
- Explicitly states the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 'replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954'.
- Direct phrasing indicates statutory replacement rather than mere amendment or related change.
- Lists the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 among central Acts that 'were repealed after the enactment of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006'.
- Confirms legal repeal of earlier food laws following the FSS Act 2006, supporting the replacement claim.
Explicitly states FSSAI 'functions under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare as an autonomous body', giving the ministry-level link.
A student could use this to check whether 'functions under the Ministry' normally implies direct administrative charge by the DGHS or instead indicates autonomy under ministerial oversight.
Contains an exam-style item that asserts (as a candidate statement) that FSSAI is 'under the charge of Director General of Health Services', showing that this exact claim is commonly posed and may be disputed.
A student could treat this as a prompt to verify organizational control—compare the claim against official organizational charts or the Act that created FSSAI.
Describes FSSAI as the regulator that issues national regulations (e.g., on organic food), illustrating FSSAI's statutory regulatory role rather than a routine administrative department function.
Use this to infer that statutory regulators with rule-making powers often have autonomous structures distinct from day-to-day administration by a directorate like DGHS.
Shows an analogous pattern: APEDA 'functions under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry' indicating ministries host autonomous authorities rather than subsume them under line directorates.
A student could generalize that many specialized authorities report to a ministry but are not necessarily administered by a specific Director General post; check whether DGHS routinely administratively controls other autonomous authorities.
Notes that the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 replaced an earlier act and is the basis for FSSAI operations, pointing to a statutory origin.
A student could consult the Act to determine the statutory governance/administrative reporting lines (e.g., whether it places FSSAI under DGHS or establishes an independent governing structure).
- [THE VERDICT]: Statement 1 is a Sitter (Directly in Singhania/Vivek Singh). Statement 2 is a Logic Trap. Overall: Doable.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Regulatory Bodies in Food Processing (GS-3) & Statutory Institutions (GS-2).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Map the 'Parent' of confusing bodies: APEDA/MPEDA → Ministry of Commerce; BIS → Ministry of Consumer Affairs; CDSCO → DGHS (MoHFW); CPCB → MoEFCC; FSSAI → MoHFW (Autonomous).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When studying a Body, define its 'Administrative DNA': Is it an Attached Office (subordinate) or a Statutory Authority (autonomous)? Authorities rarely report to a bureaucrat (like a DG); they report to the Ministry.
References state the FSS Act 2006 repealed earlier food statutes, indicating a legal consolidation of food safety regulation.
High-yield for UPSC as it illustrates legislative reform in food regulation and statutory consolidation; connects to questions on legal reforms, public health law, and regulatory architecture. Useful for answering polity and governance questions about why and how old Acts are repealed by newer comprehensive statutes.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 13: Food Processing Industry in India > Controllable Challenges > p. 412
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 12: Supply Chain and Food Processing Industry > 12.7 FSS Act 2006 and FSSAI > p. 373
Evidence notes creation of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the FSS Act 2006.
Important for GS topics on regulatory bodies and implementation — explains the institutional outcome of the Act and links to administration, public health policy, and regulatory oversight questions. Knowing statutory basis helps answer questions on agency powers and accountability.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 13: Food Processing Industry in India > PRESENT STATUS OF FOOD PROCESSING IN INDIA > p. 411
One reference links 'adulteration of foodstuffs' to the concurrent list and lists several central orders/Acts repealed by the FSS Act.
Useful for UPSC coverage of federal legislative subjects and Centre–State roles in food regulation; helps frame answers on division of powers, implementation challenges, and interplay between central orders and Acts. Enables synthesis-type questions on federalism and sectoral regulation.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 12: Supply Chain and Food Processing Industry > 12.7 FSS Act 2006 and FSSAI > p. 373
Reference [2] states FSSAI 'functions under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare as an autonomous body', directly relevant to administrative control.
High-yield for questions on governance of regulatory agencies: distinguishes 'under a ministry' from 'direct administrative charge by an office-holder'. Helps answer queries on autonomy, accountability, and ministry oversight; links to public administration and health governance topics.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 13: Food Processing Industry in India > PRESENT STATUS OF FOOD PROCESSING IN INDIA > p. 411
Reference [8] references the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 replacing the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, which is the statutory basis for FSSAI.
Knowing the enabling statute is crucial for questions about institutional origin, mandate, and regulatory powers. Connects to legislative reform, consumer protection, and administrative law; useful for questions comparing old vs new regulatory regimes.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 13: Food Processing Industry in India > Controllable Challenges > p. 412
References [3] and [5] describe the FSSAI logo as a safety certification and note FSSAI's role in regulating organic food (2017 regulations).
Clarifies the practical functions and scope of FSSAI (standards, certification, organic rules), useful for policy, economy, and public health questions. Helps link institutional role to on-ground regulatory actions and consumer protection issues.
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 12: Understanding Markets > Did you notice the FSSAI logo? > p. 269
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.9 Organic Farming > p. 345
The trap exists because the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) *is* under the DGHS. The examiner swapped the parentage of India's Drug regulator with its Food regulator. Next time, check: Who appoints the FSSAI Chairperson? (Central Govt, Rank of Secretary to GoI).
Apply the 'Statutory Status' heuristic: A body named 'Authority' (NHAI, TRAI, FSSAI) is created by an Act to ensure functional autonomy. It is structurally illogical for such an Authority to be 'under the charge' of a Director General (who is a civil servant heading a technical wing). Authorities report to the Ministry, not a Directorate. Mark Statement 2 incorrect based on administrative hierarchy logic.
Link FSSAI standards to WTO's Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures. Indian food exports (Mangoes to EU/USA) often face rejection due to FSSAI standards not aligning with Codex Alimentarius. This bridges GS-3 (Economy) with GS-2 (IR/Trade).