Rajit Punhani appointed FSSAI CEO as authority cracks down on adulterated ghee in Gujarat

INDIA – Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Rajit Punhani has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s apex food regulator under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The appointment, issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on August 22, 2025, places Punhani in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.

A 1991-batch Bihar cadre officer with over three decades of administrative experience, Punhani currently serves as Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. He will succeed Ganji Kamala V. Rao, whose term ends on August 31.

The CEO post has been temporarily upgraded to the Secretary level for this appointment. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, will take over Punhani’s present role in the Skill Development Ministry.

Punhani’s appointment comes as FSSAI steps up vigilance and enforcement measures to safeguard food safety across the country proactively. 

FSSAI seizes adulterated ghee stock at Rajkot dairy unit in special surveillance drive

In a recent action, the authority seized about 6,500 kg of adulterated ghee valued at ₹35 lakh (approx US$39,932) from M/s Korova Milk Product Pvt. Ltd. in Rajkot, Gujarat.

The operation, part of a Special Ghee Surveillance Drive, followed lab tests confirming that ghee samples had been adulterated with vegetable fat in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.

The Food Business Operator was notified of the findings and given one month to appeal, but no appeal was filed. A follow-up inspection on August 20 led to the seizure of all available stock and raw materials, with additional samples sent for further analysis. Legal and regulatory action will follow based on the final test results.

FSSAI reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards food adulteration and emphasized that consumers have the right to safe, unadulterated food. The Central Licensing Authority is expected to pursue strict action against violators.

The FSSAI is positioned to continue strengthening both its regulatory oversight and consumer protection mandate, advancing initiatives aimed at modernizing food safety standards, improving compliance by food business operators, and building public trust in India’s food supply.

Subscribe to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa, the Middle East and around the world. SUBSCRIBE HERE