Jaipur: In a matter raising serious concerns over public health governance, Rajasthan’s Food Safety and Drug Control Commissionerate has been functioning without a full-time Commissioner for the past eight months, with the additional charge currently held by a junior IAS officer.
Critical Department Left Without Full-Time Leadership
The Food Safety and Drug Control Commissionerate, a crucial arm of the state government responsible for food safety and drug regulation, was formed in January 2022 by merging the Food Safety and Drug Controller departments.
The unified body was envisioned to:
- Strengthen action against food adulteration
- Improve drug monitoring and regulation
- Streamline licensing and compliance systems
It operates as a single authority overseeing licensing of food business operators and regulation of pharmaceutical activities across the state.
Vacancy Raises Governance Concerns
Despite its importance, the post of Commissioner has remained vacant for nearly eight months, drawing criticism from administrative observers.
Currently, the additional charge is held by T. Shubhamangala, a 2018-batch IAS officer, who is also serving as Additional Mission Director in the National Health Mission (NHM).
Officials point out that she already holds a full-time assignment and is not directly associated with the department, raising concerns about effective oversight.
Heavy Administrative Responsibility
The Commissioner heads a large and complex administrative structure, overseeing nearly 300 officers, including:
- Over 100 personnel in the Food Safety wing
- Around 175 officials in the Drug Control branch
- 2 Controllers
- 54 Assistant Drug Controllers
- 116 Drug Control Officers
Given the scale of operations, the role has traditionally been assigned to senior IAS officers.
Experienced Officers Previously Led the Department
Since its formation, the department has been headed by experienced IAS officers, including:
- Sunil Sharma
- Pukhraj Sen
- Nakate Shiv Prasad Madan
- Iqbal Khan
- H. Guite
These officers, mostly from the 2011 and 2013 batches, are credited with managing the department effectively.
Questions Over Delay in Appointment
Observers have expressed surprise that despite issuing multiple IAS transfer lists in recent months, the Department of Personnel has not filled this key position.
Concerns have been raised that:
- A critical Head of Department (HOD) post remains unfilled
- The department is being run on additional charge basis
- The arrangement may affect policy implementation and enforcement
Call for Immediate Appointment
Experts and insiders stress that given the department’s direct link to public health and safety, a full-time senior IAS officer should be appointed without further delay.
The prolonged vacancy, they warn, could impact the efficiency of food safety enforcement and drug regulation mechanisms in the state.
