FSSAI Food License

Licenses Required for Banquet Hall Serving Food

When it comes to consuming food at an event like a marriage function at a banquet hall, there are plenty of challenges related to food safety. These include – the safety of raw materials, lack of food hygiene and safety knowledge and training, the location of the place that could be close to garbage dumps or stagnant water collecting points and other such issues. To start a banquet hall serving food in India, the following registrations and licenses are mandatory:-

Registrations

1. MSME Udyog Aadhaar registrations that additional benefits like government subsidies, cheaper loan interest rates etc. can be enjoyed by the establishment.
2. Register for Goods and Services Tax that can be done online and is related to payment of taxes and filing of returns.
3. ESI and PF registration – ESI is mandatory in India for all business entities that employ 10 or more employees. Employee Provident Fund registration is also mandatory for all establishments that employ 20 or more employees in India.

Licenses Required for Banquet Hall Serving Food

1. Register with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. As per guidelines laid down for Food Safety Management System for the catering industry under the FSS Act, 2006^[1] it is mandatory that the food establishment like a banquet hall:-

• Permit the premises to be cleaned and disinfected at regular intervals
• Dust, dirt, fumes, and smoke disposal system should be properly planned
• The premises cannot permit the entry of pests
• Provide a safe environment for workers and customers
• The flow of food is one-directional – from receiving to storage to preparation to cooking to packaging/serving/dispatch.
• The food processing units like the place for preparation of food, cooking, storing and space for storing food utensils etc. should be adequately provided for and should not be cramped up.
• The toilets and cleaning up areas should be clearly separated from food processing areas.
• Once the eating utensils are cleaned they should not be conveyed through open areas or spaces.

A banquet hall serving food with an annual turnover of more than Rs. 12 lakh per annum and up to Rs. 2 crores per annum need to register for the state FSSAI license, as per eligibility criteria mentioned under the FSS Act, 2006. The Form-B needs to be duly filled in, signed and submitted along with other essential documents to the state food licensing authority. On the basis of the application being accepted, there will be an inspection of the premises. The license is issued when the inspection report and all the documentation are in place.

1. Health License from the Health Department – the license certifies that the banquet hall serving food meets all requirements of maintaining a healthy environment within its premises including the kitchen being clean and the hall having proper disposal system in place.
2. Fire Safety Permit issued by the State Fire Department after due inspection of the premises.
3. Police license under the licensing of places for Public Entertainment and is issued by the Commissioner or Additional Commissioner of Police.
4. Bar license from State Government authorities for serving alcohol within the premises of the banquet hall.

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