Telangana merges food safety and drug control under TG SAFE initiative

The Telangana government has merged the Food Safety Department and the Drugs Control Administration (DCA) under a single administrative authority named the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE). This unified body will oversee food and drug regulation in the state. Avinash Mohanty, a 2005-batch IPS officer and current Director General of the DCA, has been appointed as the Commissioner of TG SAFE, in addition to his existing responsibilities. He will also serve as the Commissioner of Food Safety for Telangana. The merger order was issued by Health Secretary Christina Z. Chongthu.

Strengthening Public Health and Consumer Safety

The government stated that the merger aims to address the growing number of licensed food business operators in the state and to bolster compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The unified framework is expected to enhance public health, consumer safety, and regulatory enforcement by preventing unsafe, spurious, and substandard food and drugs.

Despite the administrative integration, the statutory powers of the Food Safety Department and the DCA will remain intact. Officials under the respective acts will continue to exercise their legal authority independently. The unified framework is designed to improve surveillance, intelligence, legal support, and overall regulatory outcomes without compromising the autonomy of the two departments.

Operational Structure and Initial Rollout

TG SAFE will operate through six wings: Drug Administration, Food Safety, Enforcement, Legal and Prosecution, Laboratory, and Administration. The government has decided to initially roll out the system in the CURE region, which has a high concentration of food business operators and drug establishments. During this phase, the Food Safety Department and DCA will collaborate using shared administrative and operational mechanisms.

To support the implementation of TG SAFE, the government has allowed the filling of vacant sanctioned posts through deputation, contracts, or outsourcing as per established procedures.

Modernisation and Future Expansion

The government has also constituted a State-level committee to review the modernisation of the Food Safety and Drugs Control administration. This committee will assess the unified authority's performance, including service rule harmonisation, cadre strength, infrastructure upgrades, and the potential for a technology-driven regulatory framework aligned with national and global best practices.

The committee will evaluate the outcomes of TG SAFE's implementation in the CURE region and submit its recommendations within the prescribed timelines. These findings will guide the decision on expanding the unified Food and Drug Department across Telangana.

Source: The Hindu