Why in News?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently directed all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to immediately stop using newspapers for packing, wrapping, or serving food items.

About the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the apex food regulatory body of India responsible for ensuring the availability of safe, hygienic, and wholesome food for human consumption.

• It is a statutory body established under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which consolidated multiple food-related laws into a single comprehensive legislation.

• The authority functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and serves as the primary institution responsible for regulating and supervising food safety standards across the country.

Need for Establishment

• Prior to the enactment of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, food regulation in India was governed by multiple laws administered by different ministries and agencies.

• To create a unified food safety regime, the Government of India enacted the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and established the FSSAI as the single reference point for all matters related to food safety and standards.

Mandate of FSSAI

• The primary mandate of FSSAI is to ensure that food available in the Indian market is safe, nutritious, and fit for human consumption.

• The authority regulates every stage of the food supply chain, including the manufacture, processing, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food products.

• By establishing scientific standards and enforcing compliance, FSSAI seeks to protect public health while facilitating the growth of the food industry.

Organizational Structure

• The FSSAI consists of a Chairperson and 22 members, of whom one-third are required to be women.

• The members are drawn from various ministries, food industry organizations, consumer groups, research institutions, farmers' organizations, and state governments, ensuring broad representation of stakeholders in food governance.

• The headquarters of the authority is located in New Delhi.

Functions of FSSAI

Development of Food Standards

One of the most important responsibilities of FSSAI is the formulation of science-based food standards.

These standards define the quality, composition, labeling requirements, and permissible limits of contaminants, additives, and residues in food products.

Food Safety Management Systems

FSSAI promotes the adoption of Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) by food businesses.

The authority issues guidelines and protocols that help food manufacturers, processors, restaurants, and retailers maintain hygiene and safety throughout the food production and distribution process.

This preventive approach reduces the risk of food contamination and food-borne diseases.

Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses

Every food business operator in India is required to obtain an FSSAI License or registration depending on the scale of operations.

Surveillance and Monitoring

FSSAI regularly conducts inspections, audits, sampling, and surveillance activities to monitor compliance with food safety regulations.

Food products are periodically tested in laboratories to detect contamination, adulteration, or violations of prescribed standards.

Consumer Awareness and Education

Consumer awareness is a major focus area of FSSAI.

The authority conducts campaigns and educational programmes to promote awareness regarding food safety, nutrition, healthy eating habits, and hygiene practices.

Initiatives such as Eat Right India encourage citizens to make informed food choices and adopt healthier lifestyles.

Accreditation of Food Testing Laboratories

FSSAI is responsible for the recognition and accreditation of food testing laboratories across India.

These laboratories play a crucial role in scientific testing and quality assurance by analyzing food samples for contaminants, adulterants, pesticides, heavy metals, and microbial hazards.

Major Initiatives of FSSAI

Eat Right India Movement

The Eat Right India Movement aims to transform India's food system by promoting safe food, healthy diets, and sustainable food practices.

The initiative seeks to improve public health outcomes while encouraging responsible food consumption.

Food Fortification Programme

FSSAI promotes the fortification of staple foods such as rice, wheat flour, milk, edible oil, and salt with essential micronutrients.

Food fortification helps combat malnutrition, anemia, and micronutrient deficiencies among vulnerable populations.

Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC)

The FoSTaC Programme provides training and certification to food handlers and food business operators to improve compliance with food safety regulations.

It helps build capacity within the food industry and promotes best practices in food handling.

Clean Street Food Initiative

This initiative focuses on improving hygiene standards among street food vendors by providing training, certification, and infrastructure support.

It seeks to ensure safer food for consumers while enhancing the livelihoods of street vendors.

Recent Directive on Use of Newspapers

FSSAI has recently directed food business operators to discontinue the use of newspapers for wrapping, packing, or serving food.

The authority has warned that newspaper ink contains harmful substances such as lead, heavy metals, pigments, and chemical compounds that may contaminate food.

The Orientation Law on Agricultural Sovereignty and Generational Renewal (2024) enacted by France has renewed global attention on the need to link food sovereignty with generational renewal in agriculture. The law recognizes that ensuring long-term food security requires not only protecting agricultural production but also attracting young people into farming.

What is Food and Agricultural Sovereignty?

• Food Sovereignty, also known as Agricultural Sovereignty, refers to the right of people, communities, and nations to determine their own agricultural and food systems. It emphasizes local control over land, seeds, water, markets, production systems, and agricultural policies, ensuring that farming remains socially just, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable.

• Unlike the concept of Food Security, which focuses primarily on ensuring that people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, Food Sovereignty goes a step further by asking who produces food, how it is produced, and who controls the resources required for agriculture.

• The concept was first articulated by the international farmers' movement La Via Campesina during the 1996 World Food Summit and has since gained recognition from international institutions, including the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank.

Guiding Principles of Food Sovereignty

• Food Sovereignty is founded on six interrelated principles that seek to transform agriculture into a system centred on farmers and communities.

• It recognizes the right to adequate and nutritious food as a fundamental human right while ensuring that food producers receive dignity, fair income, and social recognition.

• The concept promotes localised food systems, encourages community control over agricultural resources, strengthens traditional knowledge and farming skills, and advocates agriculture that works in harmony with nature rather than exploiting natural resources.

• Thus, Food Sovereignty seeks not only to increase agricultural production but also to empower present and future generations of farmers.

Importance of Food Sovereignty

• Food Sovereignty is increasingly viewed as an essential pillar of economic resilience, national security, and sustainable development.

• It reduces dependence on imported agricultural inputs such as commercial seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, and food commodities, thereby strengthening national self-reliance.

• By promoting local production systems, protecting biodiversity, encouraging indigenous seeds, and supporting small farmers, it contributes to climate resilience, rural employment, and inclusive agricultural growth.

India's Progress Towards Agricultural Sovereignty

• India has made significant progress in strengthening agricultural sovereignty since the Green Revolution, which transformed the country from a food-deficit nation into one of the world's leading producers of food grains, pulses, milk, fruits, and vegetables.

• The country's commitment to agricultural sovereignty is reflected through several policy initiatives.

• The Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism provides farmers with assured prices for major crops, while public procurement and the Public Distribution System (PDS) ensure both farmer welfare and food security.

• India has also promoted indigenous crops and traditional seeds, particularly through the celebration of the International Year of Millets (2023).

• Schemes such as PM-KISAN, Kisan Credit Card (KCC), and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) provide financial assistance, institutional credit, and crop insurance to support small and marginal farmers.

The Emerging Challenge of Generational Renewal

• Despite these achievements, Indian agriculture faces an important structural challenge—the declining participation of young people in farming.

• According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2017, nearly 42% of rural youth aged 14–18 years were engaged in work, and 79% of them were associated with agriculture, mostly on their own family farms.

• However, only 1.2% of these young people expressed a desire to become farmers in the future.

• This indicates that although agriculture continues to employ a large proportion of rural youth, it is increasingly viewed as an unattractive profession.

Major Challenges to Agricultural Sovereignty in India

Declining Youth Participation

Agriculture has become less attractive because of low profitability, income uncertainty, price volatility, and increasing climate-related risks. As a result, many young people prefer employment opportunities outside agriculture.

Land Fragmentation

According to the Agriculture Census, more than 85% of Indian farmers are small and marginal farmers.

Rising Indebtedness

Increasing costs of cultivation, dependence on institutional and non-institutional credit, and unstable market prices have led to rising farmer indebtedness.

Climate Change and Ecological Stress

Agriculture is becoming increasingly vulnerable to erratic monsoons, soil degradation, groundwater depletion, heat waves, and extreme weather events.

Dependence on Imported Inputs

India remains dependent on imports for several agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, agrochemicals, and certain categories of commercial seeds.

Absence of a Dedicated Youth-Focused Agricultural Policy

Unlike France, India currently lacks a dedicated institutional framework that specifically promotes generational renewal in agriculture by attracting, training, and supporting young farmers.

Government Initiatives Supporting Agricultural Sovereignty

• India has introduced several schemes that indirectly strengthen agricultural sovereignty.

• Income support is provided through PM-KISAN, while Kisan Credit Card (KCC) improves farmers' access to affordable institutional credit.

• Sustainable agriculture is promoted through the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), and the Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) for natural farming.

• Resource conservation is encouraged through the Soil Health Card Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).

• Market access has improved through initiatives such as the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).

France's Model of Generational Renewal

• France has adopted a more comprehensive approach through its Orientation Law on Agricultural Sovereignty and Generational Renewal (2024).

• The legislation explicitly links food sovereignty with the need to attract and retain young farmers.

• The law provides financial assistance, simplifies administrative procedures, improves agricultural education and training, facilitates access to farmland, and promotes environmentally sustainable farming practices.

• It also aligns national agricultural policy with the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), under which young farmers receive direct income support, eco-scheme incentives, and transition assistance, making agriculture a more economically attractive profession.

Conclusion

Food Sovereignty represents a broader vision of agriculture that goes beyond food production to include farmer empowerment, local resource control, environmental sustainability, and intergenerational continuity.

While India has made significant progress in achieving food self-sufficiency, ensuring the future of agriculture will require attracting the next generation into farming through dedicated institutional support, technological innovation, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on 25 March 2026, proposes significant changes to India's framework governing foreign contributions received by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), charitable trusts, educational institutions, religious organisations, and other non-profit entities.

The Government has stated that the amendments are intended to strengthen transparency, accountability, and national security.

Background: Evolution of the FCRA Framework

• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) was enacted to regulate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions and foreign hospitality in order to safeguard national sovereignty, public interest, and the integrity of democratic institutions.

• The regulatory framework became significantly stricter following the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020, which introduced several important restrictions.

• All foreign contributions were required to be received through a single designated SBI branch at New Delhi, thereby centralising the monitoring of foreign funds.

• The permissible limit on administrative expenditure was reduced from 50% to 20%, compelling organisations to devote a larger share of funds directly to programme activities.

• The amendments also prohibited sub-granting, preventing NGOs from transferring foreign contributions to smaller partner organisations, and expanded the Government's power to suspend FCRA registrations.

• While these measures aimed to improve financial accountability, they disproportionately affected small NGOs, faith-based organisations, and grassroots institutions working among vulnerable communities.

• The 2026 Amendment Bill builds upon this framework by introducing an even broader system of government oversight and executive intervention.

Major Provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026

Automatic Cessation of Registration

• One of the most significant changes is the proposed insertion of Section 14B, which introduces the concept of automatic cessation of FCRA registration.

• Under this provision, an organisation's registration may automatically cease not only when renewal is formally rejected but also when a renewal application remains pending, is delayed, or is not submitted within the prescribed period.

• This provision substantially increases the risk of organisations losing their legal status because of procedural delays rather than proven violations.

Provisional and Permanent Vesting of Assets

• The Bill introduces a new Section 16A, creating a separate legal framework for the management of assets derived from foreign contributions.

• According to this provision, whenever an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or deemed to have ceased, all foreign contributions and assets created from such contributions will automatically undergo provisional vesting in a Government-appointed Designated Authority.

• If the organisation fails to regain its registration within the prescribed period, the provisional vesting may become permanent.

• The Designated Authority may thereafter transfer, manage, or dispose of these assets, with the sale proceeds being credited to the Consolidated Fund of India.

• This represents one of the most far-reaching changes proposed under the Bill.

Expanded Powers of the Designated Authority

• The proposed amendments considerably enhance the authority of the Designated Authority.

• The authority would be empowered to supervise financial management, administer institutions, control organisational assets, oversee day-to-day operations, and implement measures relating to the management of organisations receiving foreign contributions.

• These powers significantly increase executive control over civil society institutions.

Restrictions During Suspension and Investigation

• The Bill further restricts organisations whose registrations are suspended or under investigation.

• During such periods, organisations may be prohibited from managing or utilising their assets without prior Government approval.

• The amendments also broaden the definition of key functionaries, thereby increasing the personal legal responsibility of office-bearers and senior management.

Impact on Civil Society Organisations

• The proposed amendments are expected to have a significant impact on India's civil society sector.

• Many NGOs, charitable trusts, educational institutions, healthcare organisations, and faith-based organisations depend on foreign contributions to deliver essential public services.

• Automatic registration lapses, prolonged investigations, or restrictions on asset management could severely disrupt their functioning.

Impact on Minority Institutions

• The amendments are likely to have particular implications for several minority educational and charitable institutions that receive financial assistance from churches, international humanitarian organisations, and Indian diaspora communities abroad.

• In cases where FCRA registration is suspended or cancelled, such institutions could face temporary or permanent Government control over their assets.

• Since many of these institutions provide education, healthcare, and welfare services irrespective of religion or community, disruptions could adversely affect society at large rather than only minority communities.

Economic and Social Implications

• India's non-profit sector plays an indispensable role in delivering services in areas such as education, public health, nutrition, child protection, women's empowerment, livelihood generation, skill development, tribal welfare, and disaster relief.

• The sector also contributes significantly to employment generation and volunteer engagement.

• Any large-scale cancellation of FCRA registrations or disruption of foreign funding may affect millions of beneficiaries who rely on these services, particularly in remote and underserved regions.

Constitutional Concerns

• The Bill raises several important constitutional questions regarding the balance between state regulation and fundamental rights.

• The broad and undefined use of the expression "public interest" could potentially allow regulatory action against organisations working in areas such as human rights, environmental protection, tribal welfare, minority rights, or public interest advocacy.

• Several constitutional provisions may therefore become relevant.

• Article 14 guarantees equality before the law and protection against arbitrary state action.

• Article 19(1)(c) guarantees the freedom to form associations and unions, which includes the functioning of voluntary organisations.

• Articles 25 and 26 protect freedom of religion and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.

• Articles 29 and 30 safeguard the cultural and educational rights of minorities.

• Article 300A protects individuals and organisations from deprivation of property except through the authority of law.

• The concentration of extensive powers within the executive branch, particularly regarding registration, investigation, suspension, and asset management, has raised concerns regarding institutional autonomy, procedural fairness, and the rule of law.

Government's Rationale

• The Government has argued that the amendments are necessary to strengthen financial transparency, prevent misuse of foreign contributions, curb money laundering, protect national security, and ensure that foreign funds are utilised only for lawful and legitimate purposes.

• According to the Government, stricter regulation will improve accountability and reduce the possibility of foreign influence in sensitive sectors.

Concerns Raised by Critics

• Critics argue that while regulation of foreign funding is a legitimate objective, the proposed amendments provide excessively broad discretionary powers to the executive without adequate procedural safeguards.

• Automatic registration lapses, Government control over organisational assets, and the possibility of permanent vesting may undermine civil society independence, discourage voluntary action, and weaken democratic participation.

• Concerns have also been expressed regarding the absence of independent oversight mechanisms, judicial safeguards, and effective remedies against arbitrary administrative action.

Conclusion

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 marks a significant expansion of Government authority over organisations receiving foreign contributions.

While the objectives of transparency, accountability, and national security are legitimate, the proposed amendments substantially enhance executive powers relating to registration, suspension, investigation, and asset management.

The long-term effectiveness of the legislation will depend on whether these regulatory powers are exercised with due process, institutional independence, judicial oversight, and full respect for the constitutional values of freedom of association, rule of law, and democratic accountability.

Why in News?

Recently, 31 gharial hatchlings were released into the Gandak River in the Bagaha region of Bihar as part of ongoing conservation efforts to strengthen the population of this critically endangered freshwater crocodilian and restore the river's ecological balance.

About Gharials

• The Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a freshwater crocodilian native to the river systems of the Indian subcontinent. It belongs to the Order Crocodylia and the Family Gavialidae (modern classification; historically placed under Crocodylidae in older texts).

• It is one of the most specialized crocodilians in the world and is regarded as an important indicator of the health of freshwater river ecosystems.

• The name "gharial" is derived from the Hindi word "ghara", meaning pot or vessel, which refers to the distinctive bulbous growth present at the tip of the snout of adult males.

Habitat and Distribution

• Gharials inhabit deep, clear, fast-flowing freshwater rivers with wide sandy banks, which provide ideal conditions for basking, nesting, and breeding.

• Historically, their distribution extended across the river systems of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.

• Today, the largest surviving populations are found in three important tributaries of the Ganga River—the Chambal River, Girwa River in India, and the Rapti–Narayani River in Nepal.

• Among these, the Chambal River supports the largest wild population of gharials in the world.

Gharial Conservation Areas in India

• India has established dedicated Gharial Conservation Reserves in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, particularly along the National Chambal Sanctuary, which serves as the most important protected habitat for the species.

• The recent release of hatchlings into the Gandak River in Bihar reflects efforts to expand and restore gharial populations beyond their traditional strongholds.

Physical Characteristics

• The gharial is one of the largest living crocodilians, with adult males often exceeding 5–6 metres in length.

• Its most distinctive feature is its extremely long, narrow, and slender snout, which is the thinnest among all crocodilian species. This unique adaptation enables it to catch fish efficiently while creating minimal resistance in water.

• Adult males possess a characteristic "ghara", a bulb-like enlargement at the end of the snout that develops upon maturity.

• Unlike other crocodilians, gharials have relatively weak legs and are poorly adapted for movement on land. They spend almost their entire lives in water and come onto sandy riverbanks mainly for basking and nesting.

• Their body is covered with thick skin bearing smooth, non-overlapping epidermal scales, providing protection while allowing flexibility during swimming.

Diet and Ecological Role

• The gharial is predominantly piscivorous, feeding mainly on fish throughout its life.

• By regulating fish populations and maintaining species diversity, gharials play an essential role in preserving the ecological balance of freshwater river ecosystems.

• Because they require clean rivers with abundant fish populations, gharials are considered an important indicator species for assessing the health of riverine habitats.

Reproduction

• The breeding season generally occurs between November and January, during which courtship and mating take place.

• Female gharials lay eggs between March and May by digging nests in sandy riverbanks above the water level.

• Unlike some other crocodilians, female gharials do not carry hatchlings in their mouths because of their narrow snouts. However, they actively guard the nesting site and protect the young after hatching.

Threats to Gharials

• The gharial population has declined drastically due to multiple human-induced pressures.

• The destruction of river habitats through dam construction, sand mining, and river modification has reduced suitable nesting and breeding areas.

• Declining fish populations, caused by overfishing, reduce the availability of prey.

Conservation Efforts

• India has implemented several conservation programmes aimed at recovering gharial populations.

• Protected areas such as the National Chambal Sanctuary provide secure habitats for breeding populations.

• Captive breeding and hatchling release programmes, such as the recent release of 31 hatchlings in Bihar, aim to increase wild populations and restore the species in suitable river systems.

Conservation Status

• The gharial is recognised as one of the world's most threatened crocodilian species.

• It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, indicating an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

• The species is included in Appendix I of CITES, which prohibits international commercial trade except under exceptional circumstances.

• In India, the gharial receives the highest level of legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Why in News?

Recently, a team of scientists discovered a new freshwater fish species named Eechathalakenda incognita from the Western Ghats of Kerala.

About Eechathalakenda incognita

• Eechathalakenda incognita is a newly identified species of freshwater fish belonging to the Torinae subfamily of the Cyprinidae family, which includes carps and minnows.

• The species was discovered in fast-flowing rocky streams within the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala.

• The discovery is particularly significant because the fish had been misidentified for nearly 70 years, demonstrating the importance of modern taxonomic and genetic research in uncovering hidden biodiversity.

Evolution of the Genus Eechathalakenda

• The genus Eechathalakenda was first established in 1999 for a rare and mysterious fish species that had originally been described in 1941 from the Pamba River in Kerala.

• For several decades, scientists believed that all fish belonging to this genus represented a single species, Eechathalakenda ophicephala.

• Recent investigations, however, revealed that populations found in the Periyar region are genetically and morphologically distinct, leading to the identification of Eechathalakenda incognita as a separate species.

• The term "incognita" reflects the fact that the species remained hidden and scientifically unrecognized for a long period.

Distinctive Features of Eechathalakenda incognita

• The newly discovered species differs significantly from Eechathalakenda ophicephala in both physical appearance and genetic composition.

• While E. ophicephala possesses rhomboid-shaped scales, E. incognita is characterized by circular scales in the upper part of its body.

• The species also exhibits a distinct dark lateral stripe, variations in the number of fin rays, and notable genetic divergence.

• Genetic analysis revealed a 4.9%–5.3% variation from E. ophicephala, confirming that the two populations represent separate evolutionary lineages.

  Distribution and Habitat

• One of the most remarkable characteristics of Eechathalakenda incognita is its extremely restricted geographical distribution.

• The species is found only in certain fast-flowing, rocky hill streams within the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala.

• In contrast, Eechathalakenda ophicephala is confined exclusively to the headwaters of the Pamba River at elevations above 1,000 metres.

Point Endemism and Conservation Significance

• Eechathalakenda incognita has been classified as a point-endemic species, meaning it is restricted to a single geographical location and occurs nowhere else in the world.

• The discovery is of great conservation significance because it becomes the ninth point-endemic fish species identified from the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Importance of the Discovery

• The discovery of Eechathalakenda incognita reinforces the status of the Western Ghats as a global biodiversity hotspot.

• The finding also underlines the importance of integrating molecular genetics, taxonomy, and ecological studies for identifying cryptic species that may otherwise remain hidden.

Periyar Tiger Reserve: A Biodiversity Hotspot

The Periyar Tiger Reserve, located in Kerala, is one of India's most important protected areas and forms part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO-recognized biodiversity hotspot.

Conclusion

The discovery of Eechathalakenda incognita represents an important addition to India's freshwater biodiversity. Its identification after decades of confusion demonstrates the value of scientific research in uncovering hidden species and improving our understanding of biodiversity.