- Type
- Act
- Year
- २०८१ BS · 2024 AD
- Status
- In force
- Category
- खण्ड १२: खाद्य, कृषि, सहकारी तथा भूमि प्रशासन · Volume 12: Food, Agriculture, Cooperative and Land Administration
- Official text
- Official page Official text (PDF)
Analysis drawn from official reports, court rulings and published research, each cited. Figures are being double-checked against the source documents; corrections are welcome.
What does it do?
- The Act replaces the Food Act 2023 and regulates the safety and quality of food at every stage of the food chain, on a scientific basis. Standards are set by the government on the advice of a Food Safety and Quality Recommendation Committee, and the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control is the main regulator, with food laboratories and food inspection officers. Provinces and local levels may also monitor and inspect.खाद्य ऐन, २०२३ लाई खारेज गरी आएको यो ऐनले खाद्य श्रृङ्खलाका सबै चरणमा वैज्ञानिक आधारमा खाद्य पदार्थको स्वच्छता र गुणस्तर नियमन गर्छ। खाद्य स्वच्छता तथा गुणस्तर सिफारिस समितिको सिफारिसमा सरकारले मापदण्ड तोक्छ, र खाद्य प्रविधि तथा गुण नियन्त्रण विभाग मुख्य नियामक हो, जसअन्तर्गत खाद्य प्रयोगशाला र खाद्य निरीक्षण अधिकारी रहन्छन्। प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहले पनि अनुगमन र निरीक्षण गर्न सक्छन्। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 3–7, pp. 4–7; Sections 26–29, pp. 16–19; Section 36, p. 22; Section 60, p. 30
- Anyone running a food business needs a licence: hotels, restaurants, shops, street vendors, homestays and similar businesses get it from the local level, while importers, exporters and other food businesses get it from the Department. Licences must be renewed and can be suspended or cancelled. Importers need prior approval and an entry permit at the border for each consignment.खाद्य व्यवसाय गर्न अनुमतिपत्र चाहिन्छ: होटल, रेस्टुरेन्ट, पसल, घुम्ती बिक्रेता, होमस्टे जस्ता व्यवसायले स्थानीय तहबाट र पैठारी–निकासी तथा अन्य खाद्य व्यवसायले विभागबाट अनुमतिपत्र लिनुपर्छ। अनुमतिपत्र नवीकरण गर्नुपर्छ र निलम्बन वा खारेज हुन सक्छ। पैठारीकर्ताले पैठारीअघि स्वीकृति र नाकामा प्रवेश अनुमति लिनुपर्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 9–13, pp. 8–11
- Selling contaminated, sub-standard or misleadingly presented food, using additives above permitted limits, and selling without a label are banned. Producers, processors, importers, transporters, storekeepers, sellers and service providers each have specific duties, including recalling unsafe food.दूषित, न्यूनस्तरको वा झुक्याउने गरी खाद्य पदार्थ बेच्न, अनुमत मात्राभन्दा बढी पदार्थ प्रयोग गर्न र लेबलबिना उत्पादन वा बिक्री गर्न निषेध छ। उत्पादक, प्रशोधनकर्ता, पैठारीकर्ता, ढुवानीकर्ता, सञ्चयकर्ता, बिक्रेता र सेवाप्रदायकका छुट्टाछुट्टै दायित्व छन्, असुरक्षित खाद्य पदार्थ फिर्ता गर्ने दायित्वसमेत। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 15–25, pp. 11–16; Section 38, p. 22
- Food inspectors may inspect without notice, take samples, stop sales and destroy unsafe food. They can impose on-the-spot fines, which may be reviewed by the Director General, and they investigate offences, which are filed with government attorney approval; penalties are set out in section 42 and victims can be awarded compensation. Anyone may complain, anonymously if they wish. The Ministry must review how the Act is working every five years and report to both houses of Parliament.खाद्य निरीक्षण अधिकारीले आकस्मिक निरीक्षण गर्न, नमूना लिन, बिक्री रोक्न र असुरक्षित खाद्य पदार्थ नष्ट गर्न सक्छन्। उनीहरूले तत्काल जरिवाना गर्न सक्छन्, जसमाथि महानिर्देशकसमक्ष पुनरावलोकन माग्न सकिन्छ, र कसूरको अनुसन्धान गरी सरकारी वकिलको निर्णयपछि मुद्दा दायर गर्छन्; सजाय दफा ४२ मा तोकिएको छ र पीडितलाई क्षतिपूर्ति भराउन सकिन्छ। जोकोहीले नाम गोप्य राखेर उजुरी दिन सक्छ। मन्त्रालयले हरेक पाँच वर्षमा ऐन कार्यान्वयनको मापन गरी सङ्घीय संसद्का दुवै सदनका समितिमा प्रतिवेदन दिनुपर्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 31–35, pp. 20–21; Sections 41–47, pp. 25–27; Section 59, p. 30
Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas
- Not enforced Mandatory quality standards are taking time to be adopted. Of 27 foods for which the Department planned mandatory quality standards, only 3 had been approved by the Cabinet and published in the Gazette by FY 2081/82; 5 had been recommended, 2 approved by the drafting sub-committee and 17 were still under discussion.अनिवार्य गुणस्तर मापदण्ड बनाउने काममा समय लागिरहेको छ। विभागले २७ खाद्य पदार्थको अनिवार्य गुणस्तर मापदण्ड बनाउने लक्ष्य राखेकोमा २०८१/८२ सम्म ३ वटा मात्र मन्त्रिपरिषद्बाट स्वीकृत भई राजपत्रमा प्रकाशित भए; ५ सिफारिस भएका, २ मस्यौदा उपसमितिबाट स्वीकृत र १७ छलफलकै क्रममा थिए। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal OAG 63rd Report, MoALD chapter, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, para 31, printed pp. 232–233; Act s. 3, p. 4
- Capacity Records of enforcement are incomplete. The Department and its offices filed 186 cases in FY 2081/82, but no consolidated record of cases filed and settled over the years had been kept (the same was found for FY 2080/81), and there was no up-to-date record of licences cancelled at the request of businesses that had closed.कारबाहीको अभिलेख अपूरो छ। विभाग र मातहत कार्यालयले २०८१/८२ मा १८६ मुद्दा दायर गरे पनि विगत वर्षहरूमा दायर र फर्छ्यौट भएका मुद्दाको एकीकृत विवरण तयार गरिएको थिएन (२०८०/८१ मा पनि यही अवस्था देखिएको थियो), र व्यवसाय बन्द गरी अनुमतिपत्र खारेजीका लागि परेका निवेदनको अद्यावधिक विवरण पनि थिएन। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Office of the Auditor General, Nepal OAG 62nd Report, MoALD chapter, para 25, printed pp. 254–255; OAG 63rd Report, MoALD chapter, paras 29–30, printed p. 232
Ideas to fix it
- Keep records of licences issued and renewed in an electronic system, and keep up-to-date records of cases filed, settled and judgments implemented.जारी तथा नवीकरण गरिएका अनुमतिपत्रको अभिलेख विद्युतीय प्रणालीमा राख्ने, र मुद्दा दायर, फर्छ्यौट तथा फैसला कार्यान्वयनको अद्यावधिक विवरण राख्ने। Proposed by: Office of the Auditor General (63rd Annual Report) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal
- Have the remaining mandatory food quality standards approved by the Cabinet and published in the Gazette.बाँकी खाद्य पदार्थका अनिवार्य गुणस्तर मापदण्ड मन्त्रिपरिषद्बाट स्वीकृत गराई राजपत्रमा प्रकाशित गर्ने। Proposed by: Office of the Auditor General (63rd Annual Report) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal
Where does it conflict with other laws?
No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.