{
  "id": 5933869,
  "title": "Popularity was never my goal; what matters is public health: Tukaram Mundhe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/popularity-was-never-my-goal-what-matters-is-public-health-tukaram-5933869",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-06T07:24:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/popularity-was-never-my-goal-what-matters-is-public-health-tukaram-mundhe/article71434746.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, who has been in the spotlight for his aggressive crackdown on food safety across the state, has emphasized that public health is his primary concern, not personal popularity. Mundhe, a senior IAS officer, stated that popularity was never his goal, and what matters to him is improving public health. He told PTI, \"This is not about me. This is about India and the goal to improve public health.\"\n\nMundhe emphasized that his enforcement approach is not aggressive but rather a diligent execution of his duties. He has been performing this role for two decades, stating, \"I am doing what I am supposed to do diligently. I have been doing this across my two decades of public service.\" He believes that making public health a priority issue is crucial, as the health of citizens should be the top concern.\n\nAccording to Mundhe, 12,083 establishments have been shut, licenses suspended or canceled, or criminal cases registered against them since he took over as FDA chief in May. Improvement notices have been given to 5,269 entities, and suspension orders have been issued to 603 entities. In the case of hotels, restaurants, and eateries, there have been 1,803 inspections, with 948 improvement notices and 199 licenses suspended. For pharmacies, 740 licenses have been cancelled or suspended due to various violations during his tenure.\n\nWhen asked about the responsibility of online food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato, Mundhe stated that they are food business operators per the law and have been held accountable. He added that the FDA has taken action against them for violations. Regarding Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff appearing in an elaichi advertisement, which the FDA suspects is a surrogate promotion for a banned paan ad, two of them have responded to the FDA's notice within the 30-day period given.\n\nWhen questioned about the Bombay High Court criticizing the FDA's handling of the Cipla case, Mundhe clarified that there was no procedural mistake by the FDA. He mentioned that an officer overstepped in giving the company a last chance to be heard, which was done during a public holiday. The FDA has reissued the notice and is currently reviewing the case.\n\nMundhe acknowledged that substandard and spurious medicines are a problem in Maharashtra, though it is challenging to quantify. He emphasized that his officers will focus on process audits and good distribution practices, as many manufacturers do not follow these practices. Regarding online pharmacies and medicine delivery platforms, Mundhe stated that they face the same level of scrutiny as physical pharmacies, as they must adhere to the Drug and Cosmetic Act and rules. Additionally, he announced plans to construct four new labs to enhance inspection capacity and submitted a staffing plan to the government, although the recruitment examination for drug inspectors was cancelled due to a confidentiality breach.",
  "summary": "“We cannot become a superpower if our human resources are not healthy,” Tukaram Mundhe says",
  "key_points": [
    "Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe prioritizes public health over personal popularity.",
    "Over 12,083 establishments closed or penalized under his two-decade-long FDA tenure.",
    "FDA plans to build four new labs to enhance inspection capacity."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "Popularity was never my goal; what matters is public health: Tukaram Mundhe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/popularity-was-never-my-goal-what-matters-is-public-health-tukaram",
        "published": "2026-09-06T05:41:39.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}