After conducting around 12,000 inspections of food establishments and issuing multiple suspension notices, Tukaram Mundhe led Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration is now turning its attention to a wider public-health agenda. The regulator is looking to step up scrutiny by covering sectors such as cosmetics and child nutrition, with infant food being the key area in focus.
In an exclusive interaction with NDTV on Thursday, September 17, Mundhe said, "the overarching goal is improving public health." To achieve this, FDA, focusing on several crucial elements such as food, drugs, cosmetics, he said. In terms of cosmetics, Mundhe flagged multiple issues and assured that the regulator working on this area.
Since taking charge as Maharashtra FDA Commissioner in May, 2026, the regulator has flagged multiple food-safety violations by conducting thousands of inspections and taking action against eateries and food establishments for non-compliance. The most recent one being, seizing food stock worth a total of Rs 16.21 lakh.
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These raids were conducted in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati Divisions over restricted food items such as gutkha worth Rs 5.97 lakh. Across the state it had confiscated milk stock and dairy products worth Rs 6.5 lakh. It also seized Indian sweets and snacks worth Rs 3.86 lakh.
In additon to hygiene concerns in food establishments, Mundhe has highlighted steep markups on medical consumables used in hospitals, saying the most expensive part of a hospital bill may never touch the hospital at all.
In a post on X, Mundhe cited a survey of hospital consumables in Maharashtra that found an IV infusion set procured at a trade price of Rs 11.05 carrying a printed maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 325, a markup of 2,841%.
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