Deepali Kalia-
The National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021, was passed by the Lok Sabha.
It proclaims two institutes, the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur and the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli as institutes of National Significance.
It was introduced in February of 2019 in the house and was passed on March 15, 2021, by Rajya Sabha.
However, because of protests by the opposition and disturbance in the house proceedings, it was not discussed properly in Lok Sabha.
The statement of the object, which is annexed to the bill states that the named institutions function as separate autonomous bodies in the food processing sector and give solutions to various problems that are faced by the stakeholders and the farmers in the sector.
It aims to allow these particular institutions to employ functional autonomy and to be able to provide new innovative courses in the field. Not only this but also give instructions and conduct research in the field of food technology, management and entrepreneurship.
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The bill states that a Board of Governors shall be constituted, which as the main executive body will be responsible for the overall management and control of the institute’s affairs.
The 16 member body will consist of a Chairperson, who will be a distinguished person in the field of food technology, Director, Dean, Registrar, Central and State government representatives, representatives of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), representatives from the food processing industry.
As per the Bill, the Board will take important policy decisions, approve annual budgets or any developmental plans, establish various departments and faculties, create administrative, academic or any other posts and ascertain their terms of service.
The bill also proposes for the institution of a Senate, which will be the main academic body of the institutes. Senate, as per the bill will be responsible for the maintenance of standards concerning education and examinations.
It also provides for the constitution of a Council that will be responsible for formulating a policy framework for the functioning of the institutes and assessing the attainment of the objectives of various policies by said institutes.
