Job Profile of Central FSO and
Technical Officer
Introduction:
Friends, the most confusing question in the mindset of many professional
are what is the exact job profile or the work to do for Central FSO and
Technical Officer.
The recruitment process under FSSAI is going on and in which three major
posts are assigned. These posts are central FSO, Technical officer and
Assistant Director. The syllabus for central FSO and Technical Officer is the same
with concern to pre and mains exams.
As the hierarchy suggest Food Commissioner is at the top with concern to
food safety in the state followed by ‘Designated officer’ and then succeeded by
‘FSO’. Hence, for a convenience point of view, we could draw the following
administration graph for FSSAI.
Job
Profile of Central FSO and Technical Officer (TO):
The designated job profile for Central Food Safety Officer and Technical
Officer seems to be covered with features like the concept, meaning,
responsibility, duties, Statement of Work, Nature of Job, objective, Role in implementation
in the FSS Act, 2006, points of difference.
All these parameters are covered after an extensive discussion held with
many Food Commissioner, Technical Officer of FSSAI, and Food Safety Officer. I
am thankful for their valuable inputs to make draw attention towards the job
profile for Central FSO and Technical Officer (TO) in an improved manner.
1.
Concept:
FSSAI has to enforce the law at two levels namely state and central. At
state level, FSO is appointed with concern to the state authority. At certain
destinations points, FSSAI appoints Central FSO with specified
responsibility.
Food Authority with the confrontation with government identified certainly the location where the more central license is issued and for such places appointment
of Central FSO carried on.
Whereas, Technical Officer acts as a technical assistant for the food
authority. For Technical Officer, areas of expertise are already defined and
they will work accordingly given directions.
2.
Meaning:
As the word ‘Central’, clearly indicates the appointment of the position
under the centre i.e. from FSSAI. It also implies that co-ordination between center
and state could be done by means of a new position entitled ‘Central FSO’.
Then again one question could become in the mind that why the word
‘Central’ is used in the context of the post ‘Central FSO’?
I would like to clarify one thing that FSO is selected under state Food
Authority and they are appointed is purely made by the Commissioner of Food Safety
(Under the Jurisdiction of the State/UT). It clearly indicates that FSO has to
work for the state where he or she got selected. While Central FSO implies
that the person is appointed under the FSSAI and acts as a representative from a central authority.
Though there is no separate provision of Technical Officer made under
the FSS Act, 2006 but it has its own impact to assist the food authority from time
to time for direction.
Technical Officer acts as a representative of Assistant Director and Food
Authority who give his opinion on the formulation of policy, food standards and
specifications, the residual limit for pesticide, antibiotics, and others.
3. Objective:
The main objective
of Central FSO is to cope with the responsibility of food safety with
concern to the FSSAI.
The basic objective
of the Technical Officer is to act as a think tank for the FSSAI.
4. Basic Responsibility:
Central Food Safety Officers
are the field officers and the backbone of entire food safety compliance
structure. The food product produced by FBO with specified regulations under
the FSSA, 2006 is the responsibility of Central FSO.
Technical Officer plays an important role with concern to the policy
making for the authority.
5. Statement of Work:
As we know there are three different forms of food business category
namely Registration, State License, and Central License. The basic criterion for
this distinction is on the basis of annual turnover.
Here, annual food business turnover if up to Rs. 12 lakh one may go for
Registration. If the annual turnover is up to Rs. 20 Crores, then FBO opt for
state License and If turnover more than Rs. 20 crores FBO opt for Central
License. So from this perspective, where Central License issued at more numbers
at that destination Central FSO is appointed.
The main work is allotted to develop the market for numerous FBO in the
given area and focus in made on the structure of the food business of that
state.
Technical Officer engaged in the formulation of specification of food
standards, quality parameters, and laboratory reports, and so on. Technical
Officers comply with the guidelines and general provisions for an article of food.
They are also involved in preparing various programs for subordinate training
purposes to keep high standards of technological development.
6. Duties and Powers:
The duties for Central FSO are generally considered similar to FSO who
is acting for the state. But Central FSO has to perform given duty with
concern to the Central representatives. The Central FSO has to play as an
enforcement officer and in ensuring food safety and quality.
Duties and Powers
of Central FSO:
1. To issue registration of central license as per the FSS Act, 2006
with specified parameters.
2. To inspect the premise of FBO and ensure compliance as per Schedule 4
(part I) of Food Safety and Standard (Licensing and Registration of Food
Businesses), Regulations 2011 within the area assigned to him.
3. Prohibit the sale of any article of food which is in contravention to
the act.
4. To recommend Designated Officer (DO) to issue of improvement notice
to the FBO in order to comply with the conditions of license within a prescribed
time limit.
5. To coordinate and facilitate the introduction of food safety systems
in the centre and state.
6. Take a sample of any food or any substance, which appears to him to
be intended for sale, or to have been sold for human consumption.
7. To enter and seize any premise where any article of food to be in
contravention of FSS Act, Rules or Regulations made there under.
8. To carry out food safety surveillance to identify and address the
safety hazards.
9. To coordinate with the food business operator with Central License and
maintain the database for area assigned to him.
Duties of
Technical Officer:
1. Act as a helping hand for
Assistant Director.
2. Policy making with concern
to the Food Standards with available inputs.
3. Technical Officer assists for
new innovations or up-gradation in the licensing system.
4. May provide assistance with the formulation of CODEX standards for different articles of food.
5. Act as decision maker for
FSSAI guidelines, new rules, and implementation schedule.
6. Maintain a record of all
amendments made to the rules and strategy to imply for the specified article of
food.
7. To maintain a database.
7. Nature of Job:
Central FSO involved in the enforcement of the FSS, act at the ground level or act as a field job. He may
be in proximity to the Designated Officer.
Central FSO appointed with
regards to the following aspects.
1. As per the region or
requirements
2. More number of FBO with
central License.
3. States with metro
destinations.
4. More attractive destinations and linking by means of air and road.
Some Important occurrence
of Work Profile:
1. For Mumbai Location, many FBO registered under Central License. Hence,
there may be an appointment for separate Central FSO to take care of those FBOs.
For any assistance to them in accordance with the act, Central FSO helps them out
with proper consultation from the centre. These are the locations where the heavy
density of Central License so center appoints CFSO for such locations.
2. A location like Mahuva in Gujarat: Here, many industries arrived, and
exporting acts as a big trend in that locality or premise. So in that location
with concern to the global destination point of view appointment of Central FSO
may effective. As, he may assists or in consultation with Food Authority for
any problem persist to the FBO in that particular premise.
3. The premise with a large number of Central Units: If suppose many central
licensed units are situated nearby periphery of one premise. For that location
appointment of Designated Officer (D.O.) with concern to facilitate the Central
FSO and may try to provide sub-regional officers hence, the provision of a central
licensing to FBO of that locality. Designated Officer (DO) acts as a connecting
link between Central FSO and Technical Officer (TO). As it is stated, ‘There
should be an exchange of information among the enforcement authority’. Hence all
of them connected as a networking domain for the Food Authority.
Ex.: Locations like Bangalore or Guwahati: Here, many Food Business
Operator (FBO) with central license is procured and hence the provision of sub-regional officers in that locality.
Technical Officer addresses
different types of legal requirements for the article of food.
Ex.: If any new preservatives are added to the food article then, technical
officer check that any variation with concern to the quality parameters like
acidity, proximate permitted levels of nutrients. He will ensure that defined
standards maintained or not.
The technical officer will put a
note keeping in view for any mistakes or mis-statement of the facts, to bring
out clearly the question under consideration and suggest a course of action wherever
possible, to draw attention where necessary to precedents or Rules and
Regulations on any article of food. Also the pay scale or level for both the the position is included in Pay Level – 7.
8. Role in Implementation of FSS Act, 2006
Actual Implementation of FSS Act, 2006 enforces through Central FSO. As
the representatives of the Food Authority, he may address the problem of the state towards the centre in accordance with the act. Central FSO’s main goal is to monitor and
inspection of the specified destinations.
As enforcement is a subject of Food Authority and state. To implement
the act with the collaboration of state, Centre appointed a post of Central FSO.
Hence, Central FSO is mainly focused on the enforcement of the Act. He is an
authorized person who will hold responsible for the implementation of regulatory
compliance and Schedule IV compliance.
Technical Officer provides suggestion to the Food Authority or Ministry
with concern to food safety with specific parameters. Technical Officer
could make his view in the written format to the Ministry regarding improvising
ban or providing any limit of tolerances or any toxic effect in an article of
food.
Technical Officer should provide technical advice to the Designated
Officer. D.O. makes co-ordination between central FSO and Technical Officer. He
is involved in any new findings, advancement for any article of food under
Ministerial guidelines.
9. Points of Difference:
There are many points of difference between the work profile of Central
FSO and TO. For easy understanding, I am highlighting a few important
distinctions.
1. As, Central FSO are the professionals, who actually implement the
law, whereas Technical Officer are incurring for amendment in the FSS Act, 2006
if any.
2. Central FSO acts as a public contact point. In a general sense, they
are one who actually comes across an inspection of FBO for any article of food.
Hence, stability for them could be up to less extent as compared to Technical
Officer.
3. Technical Officer acts as an imperative source for amendment in
policymaking with concern to the required modification in the act, Rules and
Regulations.
4. For easy understanding, one could say Before Licensing and
Registration Technical officer perform their task while after licensing Central
FSO came into effect.
5. Central FSO To carry out food safety surveillance to identify and
address the safety hazards. While T.O. May provide assistance with the formulation
of CODEX standards for different articles of food.
10. Future:
Both positions have their own impact on food safety enforcement. Those
who wish to build their career for implementation of the FSS Act must opt for
Central FSO. As a food graduate, one must have the basic knowledge about the
industry, sectors, work profile and they could pave a required awareness for
food safety endorsement. It is keenly important that Central FSO is an
authorized identity that actually implements the act.
Those who wish to develop their career with concern to the technical
support the food authority can choose the Technical officer as an option. It
is core intuition that many students from food and agro background paves their
way into that position.
11. Reference Video:
To know the concept in a better manner or clarification of further doubts
reference video is provided for the same.
YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/OCql5vay9bc
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDul7uf7pcbM_kWCEaA9WvA
Summary and Conclusion:
In a nutshell, the following are observed as
conclusions.
1. The person who works at the ground level is Central FSO and the major think
tank for food authority is Technical Officer.
2. The appointment of Central FSO is purely on the basis of regional
requirements with concern to Central license.
3. Central FSO have to co-ordinate between central and state while
Technical Officer has to give technical advice to the Assistant Director.
4. The actual implementation of the FSS Act, 2006 is done via Central
FSO.
5. Technical Officer acts as a policymaker whereas Central FSO acts as a policy implementer.
