Beeda Mastan Raises Food Safety Issues in Rajya Sabha

Nellore: Rajya Sabha member Beeda Mastan Rao Yadav on Tuesday called for expansion of skill development programmes in the renewable energy sector to train rural youth and help them find employment.

Responding to the issue raised in the Rajya Sabha, Union New and Renewable Energy minister of state Shripad Yesso Naik said initiatives, such as Suryamitra, Vayumitra and Jal-Urjamitra are being implemented through institutions, including National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), National Institute of Bio-Energy (NIBE) and IIT Roorkee. Specialised training is also provided under schemes like the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Quoting official data, the union minister said 340 persons have been trained under the Suryamitra programme in Andhra Pradesh over the past five years, with 160 of them gaining employment. In Nellore district, 59 persons have been trained, with 22 of them securing jobs. 187 candidates in 2024 and 468 in 2025 received solar technician training.

Mastan Rao urged the centre to scale up training infrastructure, particularly in states like Andhra Pradesh, to boost employment in solar, wind and green hydrogen sectors.

Through a separate question, the MP raised concerns over rising food adulteration and the effectiveness of consumer grievance redressal systems. Union Consumer Affairs minister of state B.L. Verma said the National Consumer Helpline (1915) acts as a central complaint platform, which is accessible in 17 languages through multiple channels. Between January and February 2026, 250 complaints related to food adulteration had been recorded, compared to 331 in the same period last year.

The Union minister said complaints are handled in coordination with the Health Ministry and FSSAI, with escalation mechanisms through the FoSCoS portal. The recently launched “e-Jagriti” portal uses AI and machine learning to enable faster and transparent resolution, including virtual hearings, he pointed out.

Mastan Rao emphasised on the need to strengthen food safety standards, enhance testing infrastructure, and expand public awareness for protecting consumer rights.