Paswan assures probe on Maggi noodle issue

Rattled by the excess levels of lead and monosodium glutamate in samples of Maggi noddles of a 2014 batch, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan here on Monday assured a probe and remedial action.

He said he has asked for the news reports on the issue to find out the gravity of the situation and will shortly decide on what action to be taken. The minister said he didn't have details about the case yet.

He was briefing the media on the ministry’s initiatives in the last one year. Paswan said the National Food Security Act that has been implemented in only 11 states now, will be implemented in the rest of the states by June-July this year.

On the common practice of charging the customers higher than the MRP on products like water bottles in various places including railway stations, he said consumer courts must be approached in such situations.

On whether the department will be implementing measures to control frauds in eCommerce sector, he said in the July session of the Rajya Sabha, it would be proposing a Central Consumer Protection Authority which would investigate unfair trade practices.