Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : June 7, 2022 4:49 PM IST
On the occasion of World Food Safety Day, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday released Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)'s 4th State Food Safety Index (SFSI). The index, which was started from 2018-19 with an aim to galvanize States/UTs to work towards ensuring safe and nutritious food to the citizens, measured the performance of states across five parameters of food safety.
Mandaviya felicitated the winning State/UTs based on the ranking for the year 2021-22 for their impressive performance across parameters. This year, among the larger states, Tamil Nadu was ranked first, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra. Among the smaller states, Goa stood first followed by Manipur and Sikkim. Among UTs, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh secured first, second and third ranks.
Dr. Mandaviya also felicitated states which showed significant improvement in the State Food Safety Index.
Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya emphasized that Nation and nutrition are deeply connected and for a Samruddh Bharat, we need a Swasthya Bharat and for a Swasthya Bharat, we need Swasthya Nagrik.
"It is important to note that states have an important role in ensuring food safety and healthy food practices. It is the need of the hour that we come together to ensure a healthy nation," he said.
He also pointed out the crucial role FSSAI plays in ensuring healthy and nutritious food to the citizens of the country.
Mandaviya also launched various innovative initiatives by FSSAI including the Eat Right Research Awards and Grants Phase II, Eat Right Creativity Challenge Phase III, a competition at the school level.
Additionally, he unveiled the logo for Ayurveda Aahar which contains the initials of Ayurveda and Ahara with 5 leaves symbolising five elements of nature. The government beloves that this logo would be beneficial in creating a unique identity, easy identification and proven benefits to improve health and wellbeing.
The Health Minister also felicitated 11 winning smart cities of the EatSmart Cities Challenge, and winners of the Eat Right Research Challenge for Cities and Districts and Eat Right Research Awards and Grants.
EatSmart Cities Challenge was launched last year by FSSAI in association with the Smart Cities Mission under the aegis of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to motivate Smart Cities to develop and execute a plan that supports a healthy, safe and sustainable food environment through adoption of various Eat Right India initiatives.
Marking the World Food Safety Day, the Union Health Minister also released various ebooks that advocate and capture innovative recipes about oil free cooking and sugarless desserts.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that to prevent burden from food borne diseases and to ensure food safety, a multifaceted and multi stakeholder approach involving industries, government machinery, regulators, etc. is required and awareness must be created at each level of the society.
FSSAI CEO Arun Singhal said that food testing paradigm in the country is being improved in mission mode and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with States/UTs, to carefully see the food safety implementation in their respective areas.
Further, Mandaviya highlighted that in the last few years, healthcare has also seen a holistic development in the country.
The minister reiterated that the government is dedicated to ensure health security for every citizen in the country and for this it is focussing on primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare fronts with various initiatives like Health and Wellness Centres and strengthening of district hospitals under the National Health Mission.
