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Telangana restructures food and drug regulation under unified authority, TG SAFE
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
August 19 , 2026
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Aligning with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) model operational in several other states, the Telangana government has merged the Food Safety Department and the Drugs Control Administration (DCA) into a single overarching regulatory entity called the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE).
Until now, both regulatory bodies functioned as separate entities under two independent commissioners. Under the newly created central authority, both sectors will now function as two specialized administrative wings under a unified command structure.
Following the formal establishment of the authority, Avinash Mohanty, a senior police officer, has been posted as the Commissioner of TG SAFE.
The key reason behind the structural merger stems from the rapidly increasing volume of licensed food business operators and drug establishments across Telangana. Prior to this reform, the Food Safety Department operated under the Commissioner of Food Safety, while the Drugs Control Department functioned independently. Recognizing that both entities share common public safety goals, a single-line administrative integration was enacted to eliminate departmental silos, optimize resource deployment, and adopt modern regulatory practices.
According to sources, the primary purpose of TG SAFE is to establish a technology-driven, responsive regulatory mechanism that aligns with national and international best practices. While administrative oversight is now centralized under the new authority, the statutory provisions, powers, and duties prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, remain fully preserved and will continue to be exercised by their respective statutory officers.
To ensure comprehensive operational efficiency, TG SAFE will function through six specialized wings, such as Drug Administration, Food Safety, Enforcement, Legal and Prosecution, Laboratory, and Administrative. Notably, the Enforcement Wing will operate in close coordination with personnel attached directly from the police department to strengthen intelligence gathering, conduct risk-based inspections, and execute swift prosecution against violators.
The unified operations will initially be rolled out in the CURE Region (Core Urban Region Economy, encompassing Hyderabad and areas within the Outer Ring Road), selected for its high concentration of food business operators and pharmaceutical establishments. This phased implementation will allow regulators to refine standard operating procedures, data-analysis mechanisms, and inter-departmental workflows before expanding the framework across the entire state.
In addition to immediate operationalization, the government has constituted a high-level state committee on modernization to review existing enforcement mechanisms and recommend systemic upgrades. Taking effect from August 15, 2026, the establishment of TG SAFE marks a decisive step toward robust consumer protection, stricter compliance, and heightened quality assurance across Telangana’s food and pharmaceutical sectors.
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