Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Maharashtra FDA Chief Clarifies Year-Round Festival Food Safety Order
Maharashtra has created a year-round plan to check food safety at festivals and public gatherings.
Some people worried that the plan would control how festivals are celebrated.
Tukaram Mundhe said that is not the purpose of the order.
He said officials are checking the food, not stopping traditions.
The rules are meant to prevent adulteration and food-related illness.
They apply to all communities and festivals equally.
Bhandaras, prasad and community food distribution are not banned.
People can continue celebrating while making sure the food they serve is safe.
Tukaram Mundhe said the directive regulates food safety, not festivals or religious traditions.
The order aims to prevent adulteration and illness at festivals and large public gatherings.
It applies to weddings, bhandaras, Eid, Christmas, New Year's Eve events and other gatherings.
The year-round framework replaces separate food-safety instructions issued before individual festivals.
Mundhe said the existing registration and licensing requirements have applied since 2011.
- Who
- Tukaram Mundhe, commissioner of the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration, explained the directive.
- What
- A year-round food-safety enforcement framework for festivals, large gatherings and other food-service activities.
- When
- The framework was recently introduced and is intended to operate throughout the year; the underlying food-safety framework has existed since 2011.
- Where
- Maharashtra, including festivals and public gatherings across the state.
- Why
- To prevent food adulteration, illness and unsafe food service without restricting festivals or religious traditions.
Public Concerns
Maharashtra FDA Clarification
Does the order regulate festivals?
Public Concerns
Some people expressed concern that the food-safety arrangements could control festival celebrations and traditions.
Maharashtra FDA Clarification
Tukaram Mundhe said the order regulates food safety only, not festivals, rituals or how communities celebrate.
Does it create new requirements?
Public Concerns
The introduction of a new enforcement calendar led to apprehension that festivals might face additional restrictions or licensing rules.
Maharashtra FDA Clarification
Mundhe said the directive creates no new law or separate licensing system; it implements the existing framework uniformly throughout the year.
Does it target particular communities?
Public Concerns
The concerns included whether the directive might affect specific religious festivals or food-distribution traditions.
Maharashtra FDA Clarification
Mundhe said the standard procedure applies without discrimination to all communities and does not ban bhandaras, prasad or community food distribution.
- Official
- Tukaram Mundhe, commissioner of the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration
- Directive
- Festival Enforcement Calendar and a uniform, year-round food-safety operating procedure
- Purpose
- Prevent adulteration and ensure food served at gatherings is safe
- Scope
- All communities, festivals and food-service activities
- Existing framework
- Food Business Operators have faced registration and licensing requirements since 2011
- Activities covered
- Festivals, weddings, bhandaras, Eid, Christmas, New Year's Eve events and other gatherings
- Restrictions
- The directive does not ban bhandaras, prasad, community food distribution or religious celebrations