Apr.19: NEWS FLASHÂ
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in April
Cos insisting on Aadhaar may be fined up to Rs. 1 cr    Â
Stiff penalty Â
Telecom firms and banks insisting on Aadhaar as proof of identity or address are likely to invite a fine of up to Rs. 1 crore and a jail term from three to 10 years. This penalty has been proposed in the amendments cleared by the Union Cabinet. The amendments also seek to give the Aadhaar holder the option of using the unique ID for completing KYC formalities.
The Supreme Court has made it clear that Aadhaar can be compulsory only for welfare services involving public funds. Also, attempts to misuse the data will invite a fine of Rs. 50 lakh and jail term extending to 10 years. In addition, there is a fine of Rs. 10,000 and a jail term of three years for failing to obtain consent before collecting information for authentication. The penalty also applies to offline verification using QR codes.
Curbing misuse     Â
FSSAI issues new food packaging rules  Â
Preventing contaminationÂ
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has prohibited the use of packaging material made of recycled plastic, including carry bags, for packaging, storing, carrying or dispensing food articles. It has set a deadline of July 1, 2019 for food businesses to comply with the new regulations aimed at preventing contamination of food due to migration of chemicals in plastic packaging.
The regulations suggest packaging materials for different food product categories. Newspapers are also prohibited for packing or wrapping food in view of the carcinogenic effect of inks and dyes. The new rules are based on two studies that found that packaging material used in the unorganized sector was a cause for concern.
Towards food safetyÂ
Strict safety norms for cosmetics on the anvil
Safer cosmetics  Â
Cosmetic products will soon have to comply with stringent regulatory norms to ensure safety and efficacy. The Draft Cosmetics Rules 2018, notified by the Central Government, lay down rules for the testing, manufacture and packaging of cosmetics. Companies launching new cosmetics will be required to submit safety data to the regulator while seeking approval.
Cosmetics will also have to comply with labelling and packaging norms prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)Â and cannot use animals for testing. Significantly, cosmetics manufacturers are prohibited from making false and misleading claims. At present, cosmetics are covered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
No more false claims
Â