Maharashtra FDA Chief Tukaram Mundhe urges India to shed its 'somebody else will do it' mindset

To make the point, Munde turned to the Mahabharata's account of Draupadi's disrobing in the royal court, where a room full of powerful, respected men stood by and did nothing. He argued the same pattern plays out today, with citizens deferring to officials, politicians or institutions instead of acting themselves. By CNBCTV18.com September 3, 2026, 12:55:35 PM IST (Published) 3 Min Read Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, an IAS officer whose department has carried out a series of enforcement actions against food safety violators, spoke at the Storyboard18 Global GenZ Summit about citizen responsibility, saying India's problems won't be addressed unless people stop assuming someone else will act first.

Mundhe said his vision for India is one where citizens live with dignity and empowerment, and argued this requires people to stop expecting others to solve problems on their behalf. He cited the Mahabharata's account of Draupadi's disrobing in the royal court — where a room full of powerful men remained silent — and said the same pattern continues today, with citizens deferring to officials, politicians or institutions instead of acting themselves. He said he does not present his own approach as a model for other officers to follow.

"I cannot work in somebody's way. Somebody else cannot work in my way," he said, adding that every officer works differently. On honesty in public service, he said the principle isn't limited to bureaucrats, describing it as the ability to identify a problem and try to fix it.

Mundhe said his department's food safety inspections have moved beyond testing finished samples to examining the processes behind them — kitchens, sanitation, storage, raw materials, temperature control and traceability. In the two months up to July 31 of his current tenure, the department reported around 3,100 inspections, 160–170 licence suspensions, and more than 700 improvement notices issued. He said the aim was not to shut businesses down but to ensure food is safe and fit for consumption, and that the same standards apply regardless of an outlet's size or reputation.

Mundhe said his own habits have changed because of what he's seen on the job: he largely avoids eating out and rarely dines with his family outside the home, citing hygiene concerns, and said the family is selective on the occasions they do. He also said consumers should pay closer attention to nutritional content — protein, calories, macro- and micronutrients — and be wary of ultra-processed, high-fat, high-sugar, high-sodium food, saying people should weigh long-term health impact rather than just price or expiry dates. On his social media visibility, Mundhe said, "I don't make reels.

I'm not an expert in that department." He also said his work isn't different from that of other officers, adding that every officer contributes and that success or failure is simply part of the job, and declined to speculate on what role might come next, saying his current one still needs his attention. Also Read: Maharashtra FDA suspends Eatclub, Rani Diets licences in Mumbai, 2 more face action Home India News Maharashtra FDA Chief Tukaram Mundhe urges India to shed its 'somebody else will do it' mindset

Source: CNBC TV18