Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Wednesday, termed food adulteration and the sale of fake medicines a grave public health threat and a “social crime,” warning that such acts will not be tolerated.

He called for public identification of offenders by displaying their photos at major intersections to deter others and raise awareness.

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Chairing a high-level review meeting of the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) department, the CM directed officials to take strict and decisive action against adulterators, fake medicine traders, and anyone involved in these crimes under the state’s “zero tolerance” policy.

He also instructed that daily consumables like oil, ghee, spices, milk, and cheese should be tested, preferably at the production units. He called for forming special teams for intensive checks on milk and dairy products, ensuring continuous monitoring.

“Additionally, professional blood donors should be identified, and effective control should be established in this area,” he stated. He mentioned that public health is the state’s top priority and must be handled with full transparency and commitment.

The Chief Minister was informed that the network of food and drug laboratories in the state has expanded rapidly. In addition to the six major divisions previously operating, new laboratories and offices have been established in Aligarh, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Bareilly, Basti, Chitrakoot, Kanpur, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Saharanpur, and Devi Patan divisions. The laboratory buildings in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Jhansi have also been upgraded.

Additionally, three modern microbiology laboratories have been set up in Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, enabling the testing of microorganisms, protozoa, viruses, bacteria, mycotoxins, and other pathogens. Testing has already started in Lucknow and Meerut. The Chief Minister suggested setting up a ‘Corpus Fund’ for the operation and maintenance of these laboratories.

To effectively control the fake drug trade, the Chief Minister directed that coordination with the police be improved to ensure the quality and effectiveness of enforcement actions. The progress of actions to ensure the quality of medicines was also reviewed in the meeting.

To make the food safety process transparent and accountable, the FSDA has implemented a password-protected barcode system, ensuring the confidentiality and impartiality of sample analysis. Each sample is tested digitally by scientists and is considered valid only after approval from senior officials.

To encourage public participation, the department has introduced a mobile app called ‘Food Safety Connect’ and a toll-free number 1800-180-5533. The Chief Minister instructed that any complaint be considered resolved only when the complainant is satisfied.

Significant progress has also been made in investment and job creation in the medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors. The Chief Minister was informed that investment proposals worth Rs 1,470 crore have been approved in the last three years, resulting in direct employment for over 3,340 people.

There has been an unprecedented increase in pharmaceutical manufacturing units, medical device production, blood banks, and retail medicine sellers. Over 65,000 new jobs have been created in retail drugstores alone in the past three years.

The Chief Minister directed that the organisational capacity of the FSDA be strengthened and that the recruitment process for vacant positions be initiated promptly.