Maharashtra FDA Resolves 71.8% of Complaints in Three Months
In just three months, the Maharashtra FDA addressed nearly 72% of complaints filed through its online portal, leveraging AI to filter out over 11,000 invalid submissions.
Maharashtra FDA received 13,857 complaints since July 14, resolving 71.8%.
AI screening rejected 11,491 submissions deemed invalid or outside jurisdiction.
Pune region reported the highest number of complaints, with a shift towards dark stores and quick commerce.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported a significant achievement in its online grievance redressal portal, resolving 71.8% of the 13,857 complaints received since its launch on July 14. This performance report, shared on October 14, 2026, highlights the effectiveness of the system in addressing consumer grievances promptly and efficiently.
The FDA introduced the online portal to streamline the complaint registration process, allowing citizens to track their grievances and ensuring timely actions by the authorities. The system automatically assigns complaints to relevant officers and escalates unresolved cases to higher authorities if no action is taken within the specified timeframe. During the initial three months, 4,068 complaints were escalated due to inaction by the assigned officers, leading to the issuance of notices to those responsible for delays.
A key feature of the portal is its AI-based screening mechanism, which assesses complaints at the submission stage to filter out those that are misleading, incomplete, or outside the FDA's jurisdiction. This automated process has proven effective, with 11,491 submissions rejected for lacking sufficient grounds for intervention. The FDA has emphasized that this system helps to ensure that only valid complaints are processed, thus improving overall efficiency.
Regionally, the Pune area recorded the highest number of complaints at 4,519, followed by Greater Mumbai with 3,762. Notably, the nature of complaints has shifted, with a growing focus on dark stores and quick-commerce operations, which now account for nearly 50% of grievances. This change reflects the department's ongoing efforts to adapt to emerging consumer concerns in the rapidly evolving food service sector.
Looking ahead, the FDA plans to continue monitoring complaint trends and enhancing its response mechanisms. The department anticipates that the upcoming festive season may lead to an increase in complaints, as seen in previous months. The automated systems in place are designed to improve accountability among officials and ensure that genuine consumer issues receive timely attention.
