FDA inspectors to be provided tablets: Minister

Mumbai: In a bid to bring transparency in its work, the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has given mobile tablets (commonly referred as ‘tabs’) to the inspectors to help them in inspecting up to seven lakh shops across the state.

The inspector, using the tablet, will now take photographs when he visits a shop. If he finds any irregularities, he will issue notice and submit report to superiors online. This will bring transparency in the work, said FDA minister Girish Bapat.

FDA has 428 inspectors who visit shops, take samples and check for irregularities.

“Sometimes shopkeeper, merchants complaint that inspectors settle things after raids. So to tackle all such issues and keep an eye on inspectors, we have provided the tabs by the hands of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, said Mr Bapat. IT Department has spent `48 lakh towards the purchase of tabs, Bapat said.

After receiving tabs whenever these inspectors visit shops, godowns, they will take photographs, record observations, findings with date and time. Then FDA will issue notice to the shopkeepers if any irregularity is found and the evidence cannot be tampered because senior officials will be controlling it online. So process will be transparent, Mr Bapat clarified.