Come February 4 and all eateries in the country-from restaurant chains such as KFC and McDonalds to restaurants within hotels like Bukhara and Swagath to even school canteens and corporate cafeterias-will need a 'food business operator' licence from central food authority Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to operate.
The authority plans to randomly check food joints across the country after the February 4 deadline for obtaining the licence with the help of state food authorities, a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) official said.
If a restaurant is found without licence, the authority can penalise it and even have it shut down.