Board of Legal-Regulatory Consultants has started functioning in the premises of National Agriculture and Food Analysis and Institute (NAFARI) w.e.f. January 2009. This Board will offer “Consultancy Services and advice on Regulatory and Mandatory Requirements applicable to the Food Processing Industry”. The Board consists of experts in the field of Food Laws, Packaged Commodities Act, Factory Act, VAT, Taxation etc. is now available to the Food Industry. These services are being made available with support from the SIDBI project on “BDS Implementation in Pune Fruit & Vegetable Processing Cluster”, and are critical in view of the Food Safety & Standards’ Act 2006 (FSSA) to be implemented shortly.

The various laws concerned with Food Industry are governed by more than 9 Ministries. Also applicable are Factory Act, Company’s Act and Taxation Laws. The new Food Safety and Standards Act -2006 is an initiative by the Government of India to consolidate various statutes under one Act, and keep these in tune with the global requirements. This panel/Board is operating from NAFARI’s office at MCCIA Building, Tilak Road, Swargate, Pune. The panel consists of leading consultants :

1. Mr. U.R. Gotkhindikar (Ex Jt. Commissioner FDA-Maharashtra and Consultant on Food Laws),
2. Advocate P.B. Sobale (Practitioner in Food Laws),
3. Mr. Nitin Shah of M/s. Shantilal Shah & Jain (Consultants on Maharashtra Value Added Tax),
4. M/s. GDA Trustee & Consultancy Ltd. (Consultants on Company Law, Taxation Laws, Banking Laws, etc.),
5. Mr. Vidyadhar Phadke (Consultant on Company Law, Financial Management Consultancy and Foreign Exchange Management Act).

Those interested in availing the discounted services may contact the following persons for details :
1) Shri Vinay Oswal, Director, NAFARI, mobile : 9881491440
2) Ms. Shubhada Shintre, Cluster Development Manager,SIDBI Project, mobile : 9881098155