Bars attached to Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) outlets across the State are soon likely to come under the ambit of norms laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The new move to bring the bars under FSSAI norms is aimed at ensuring quality food is served to customers.
Already there are complaints that several bars are allegedly serving dishes of low quality. Besides, packaged drinking water, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are sold at exorbitant rates in many bars.
Sources said that the national body was planning to enforce its regulations in these bars from February 4, next year.
Meanwhile officials of FSSAI here said that the organisation would send intimation about the new move and ask contractors of bars attached to TASMAC outlets to comply with its norms.
Sources added that new tenders to run bars attached to the State-run liquor outlets were likely to be floated in October this year.
“The FSSAI has been trying to bring bars attached to TASMAC outlets under its norms for a long time. Officials are planning to bring bars under FSSAI purview when licenses for contractors are renewed in October,” an official said.
Most TASMAC outlets in the state are having attached bars that are run by contractors.
As per FFSAI norms, every food business operator (FBO) in the country, who has an annual turnover
of more than Rs12 lakh, should get a license to run the business.
FBOs that have an annual turnover below Rs12 lakh will have to register with the body and follow the norms laid down by FSSAI.
Several FBOs, who operate bars along with hotels, have already applied for license, sources added.