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MCD's New Portal: Speedy Food Trade Licenses Issued
10 Jun
Summary
- Delhi now offers instant food business licenses via a new online portal.
- FSSAI certification acts as a 'deemed license' for many food businesses.
- Applicants must pay fees and FSSAI certification for immediate license generation.
A new, relaxed trade licensing system for 67 food-related business categories is now effective in Delhi, as announced on Tuesday. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has operationalized a new health trade license portal designed for instant permit issuance without extensive documentation.
Under this revised system, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certificate is now considered a 'deemed license' for numerous trades, including restaurants, banquet halls, food carts, and cloud kitchens. Applicants must submit the required license fee and upload their FSSAI certification to generate an 'instant license' within approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
While the immediate license is generated quickly, it is subject to final verification of submitted details over 21 days. The MCD is working on integrating its portal with the FSSAI database, which will allow for direct fetching of information using just the FSSAI certificate number. The deregulated trades encompass eating establishments, storage and sale businesses, hawking, and manufacturing units.
Officials emphasized that despite deregulation, businesses remain responsible for complying with fire safety norms, pollution control, and other statutory requirements. License holders will fully indemnify the MCD for any fire incidents, highlighting the licensee's sole responsibility for fire safety. This initiative is expected to significantly increase the number of licensed health trades, which currently stands at around 13,000.
