The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) artificial intelligence-enabled online consumer grievance portal ‘complaints.mahafda.in’ has received 103 complaints from the Nagpur division since its launch on July 15, with officials claiming that nearly half appear to have stemmed from personal, property and business rivalries. To prevent misuse, the Department has deployed artificial intelligence (AI) to identify duplicate, frivolous and malicious complaints before initiating action. According to FDA officials, 23 complaints have already been resolved, while 35 are under investigation. The remaining complaints are at different stages of scrutiny and are being processed in 8 to 10-day resolution period.

 

 

Officials said the portal has received complaints on a wide range of issues, including the sale of pan masala near schools, food hygiene in restaurants, quality of food products sold by kirana shops, and allegations of restaurants charging more than the printed price for packaged drinking water or not providing free drinking water and compelling customers to purchase bottled water. However, officials clarified that several grievances received through the portal do not fall within the FDA’s jurisdiction, including complaints relating to matters outside food and drug safety laws. Such complaints are filtered and closed or forwarded to the appropriate authorities wherever applicable. Complaints involving serious food safety violations attract notices and legal action, while hygiene-related complaints are verified through inspections.

 

Establishments with minor hygiene deficiencies are issued notices directing them to rectify shortcomings, whereas serious violations can lead to suspension of licences until compliance is achieved. Officials said the AI-enabled system is helping screen repeated, ineligible and rivalry-driven complaints, allowing enforcement teams to focus on genuine violations. Duplicate complaints and those lacking merit are filtered at the preliminary stage, reducing unnecessary inspections and improving response time. Appealing to citizens to use the portal responsibly, officials urged the complainants to furnish accurate information while registering grievances and cautioned against using the mechanism to settle personal, property or commercial disputes.