The Punjab Food Authority organized an event to launch the Automated Label and Product Registration Approval Portal. The event was held in the conference room of the Punjab Food Authority Headquarter and was attended by Food Business Operators (FBOs)
At the first stakeholder conference held on July 21st, 2023, FBOs expressed their apprehensions to the Director General regarding the prolonged duration of the process involved in the approval of label and product registration. Moreover, stakeholders mentioned that existing procedure often mandates several visits to the Technical Wing. This poses a significant challenge, particularly for FBOs from smaller districts, who are required to visit Lahore for the approval of their labels and products registration.
In response to these concerns, the Director-General (DG) articulated his vision to streamline processes and enhance the ease with which Food Business Operators (FBOs) can conduct their business. The Director-General (DG) reaffirmed his dedication to tackling the matters raised by FBOs and instructed the Additional Director-General (HQ) to promptly take action to rectify this issue.
Subsequent to the directives from the DG, a decision has been made to shift from a manual to an automated approach for handling label and product registration applications. The IT section of the headquarters wing has been assigned the task to work in close collaboration with the Technical and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) wings to develop a comprehensive workflow for the automated approval process.
During the event, stakeholders were presented with a trial demonstration of the recently created portal. The Director-General (DG) reassured the authority’s complete dedication to supporting Food Business Operators who adhere to the standards set by the Punjab Food Authority (PFA). At the same time, he emphasized the significance of taking strict action against those who continue to violate these standards.
The DG also expressed his appreciation to the headquarters wing for swiftly addressing the raised query and urged FBOs to openly communicate any additional concerns that require attention within the framework of the PFA’s initiative to facilitate food business operations.
Moreover, the Director-General (DG) announced to create a dedicated support desk within the PFA, specifically aimed at assisting FBOs with the label and product registration procedure. Additionally, an email and helpline service will be introduced to enhance the ease of interaction between FBOs and the authority.