The Centre is preparing a comprehensive overhaul of India’s food safety ecosystem, with NITI Aayog developing a policy framework to strengthen food safety from the farm to the consumer. The think tank is consulting stakeholders and studying global best practices before submitting its recommendations to the government.
The proposed framework is expected to focus on farm-to-fork traceability, expanded food testing infrastructure, stronger surveillance, tougher enforcement and better coordination among government agencies. Measures under consideration include monitoring chemical residues at the farm level, expanding accredited food-testing laboratories, deploying mobile testing units and strengthening cold-chain infrastructure to reduce spoilage and improve food quality.
The roadmap may also recommend compliance-linked incentives, independent third-party sampling and enhanced inspections across the food supply chain. The initiative aims to reduce food-borne illnesses, improve consumer confidence and help India build a more robust and globally aligned food safety system.