HOTELIERS WELCOME FSSAI’S DECISION TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR FBO REGISTRATION & LICENSING

Mumbai: Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) on behalf of the hotel industry has welcomed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’s decision to further extend the deadline for obtaining Food Business Operator (FBO)’s license by six months to 4^th August, 2015. The order has come in the wake of several requests made by the association to the ministry.

As per the earlier order all food businesses, from roadside eateries to restaurants, were to comply before February 4 or face rigorous punishments.

“The changes required in obtaining the licenses for FBOs as per the regulations are yet to be fully understood. Awareness on procedures and protocols is still lacking. It is a herculean task in itself and with the sheer number of FBOs the job is doubly cumbersome. Hence, we sought this extension from the government and hope to meet the deadline in August,” says Mr. Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI.

The extended deadline is applicable for FBOs seeking conversions and renewals for existing license / registration under repealed order.

“As an association, representing members of the hotel industry, we will work in the best interests of the industry. We understand and realize the basic premise or the intent of the Food Safety and Standards Act is to ensure international standards of hygiene. On this we are in full concurrence with the Government and extended our co-operation. However, hoteliers will take some more time to be fully compliant. We will take full efforts towards achieving standards that are at par, if not better, with the world,” concludes Mr. Malkani.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 65 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories like The Taj, Trident, Hyatt, J.W. Marriott and The Leela who are some of the prominent members of our Association. With around 1300 members across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr. J.R.D. Tata.