TN health minister hands over appointment orders to 127 food safety officers
Of a total of 391 food safety officer posts in Tamil Nadu, 235 were already filled while 127 vacant posts got filled recently, through selection via the Medical Recruitment Board.
CHENNAI: Health minister Ma Subramanian handed over appointment orders to 127 newly-selected food safety officers through the Medical Recruitment Board, at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi-Super Speciality Hospital in Omandurar on Thursday.
Of a total of 391 food safety officer posts in Tamil Nadu, 235 were already filled while 127 vacant posts got filled recently, through selection via the Medical Recruitment Board.
The food safety officers would be in charge of inspecting commercial establishments, issuing certificates, collecting food samples, filing cases based on investigation reports, taking action against those who sell banned tobacco products, and creating awareness about food safety.
The health minister said that the duties of the food safety officers have been explained to them, and they have been instructed to intensify already ongoing tasks, such as controlling the sale of banned tobacco products.
"The food safety department has been functioning efficiently for the past three years and initiatives such as avoiding food waste, reducing oil and salt consumption, creating awareness about not reusing used oil, and taking action against those who pack hot food in plastic bags have been successfully implemented. Tamil Nadu has received several awards for its efforts, including the Eat Right Challenge, and has been recognised as a leading state in food safety in India," said Ma Subramanian.
Talking about the appointments of doctors and other medical staff in the state health department through the Medical Recruitment Board, the minister said that the selection is being done based on merit to ensure transparency.
As part of this process, 1,947 assistant doctors, 1,291 other medical staff, and 977 nurses have been appointed. Additionally, 946 pharmacist positions have also been filled. Through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC), 1,583 positions for junior assistants, typists, shorthand typists, and health inspectors have also been filled, the minister informed.
Ma Subramanian added that steps are being taken to fill 2,553 doctor positions in the state. However, due to court cases, there is a delay in filling 2,250 Village Health Nurse positions. Similarly, due to 38 court cases in the Madurai High Court, there is a delay in filling 1,066 Health Inspector positions. To expedite the filling of these positions, legal action is being taken.