The Telangana government has taken another significant decision, deciding to merge the previously separate Food Safety and Drugs Control departments. Going forward, the Food Safety and Drugs Control wings will function under a unified administration. As part of this merger, the state government has newly constituted the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE). The authority has been set up to further strengthen licensing, inspections, sampling, testing, and enforcement relating to food, medicines, and cosmetics.
Under TG SAFE, the Drugs Administration, Food Safety, Enforcement, Legal & Prosecution, Laboratory, and Administrative wings will function together. Alongside this, the government will bring the Food Safety and Drugs Testing laboratories under a single, unified laboratory division. Going forward, TG SAFE will carry out intelligence-based and risk-based inspections to strengthen surveillance against irregularities and adulteration. For enforcement purposes, the DGP will allocate police personnel to TG SAFE. In the first phase, TG SAFE will begin its operations in the Cyberabad (Cure) area.
Given the high concentration of food businesses and drug establishments in the Cyberabad area, the government will accord it special priority. A state-level committee will be constituted to modernise the food and drugs regulatory system, focusing on testing, intelligence, data analysis, legal support, and laboratory infrastructure. The formation of TG SAFE reflects the government’s intent to place greater emphasis on public health and consumer safety. The TG SAFE order came into effect from August 15, 2026, with the Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department issuing G.O. Ms No. 67 in this regard.
Avinash Mohanty Appointed TG SAFE Commissioner
The government has issued orders appointing Avinash Mohanty as Commissioner of TG SAFE, entrusting him with the additional responsibility. Avinash Mohanty currently serves as Director General of the Drugs Control Administration. Along with setting up TG SAFE to coordinate the Food Safety and Drugs Control departments and bringing both under a unified administration, the government has entrusted overall administrative control of food safety and drugs control to the TG SAFE Commissioner, notably issuing a gazette notification appointing Avinash Mohanty to the post.