MUMBAI: Healthy foods and beverages such as millet khichdi, sprouts curry and solkadhi will have to be made available in government canteens and at official meetings and events in Maharashtra, according to an order issued by the state Public Health Department on Wednesday.
The Government Resolution (GR) also calls for a gradual reduction in ultra-processed foods and items containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.
The proposed “healthy menu” will be designed according to guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), with an emphasis on food low in salt, sugar and oil.
For short meetings and refreshments, the guidelines suggest seasonal fruits, roasted or boiled chickpeas and peanuts, sprouts, vegetable poha, idli-sambar, vegetable upma, millet khichdi, boiled eggs, nuts and seeds.
The recommended beverages include coconut water, buttermilk, solkadhi, unsweetened milk, lemon water with limited sugar or jaggery, and unsweetened green or herbal tea.
For half-day and full-day programmes, the menu may include jowar, bajra or ragi bhakri, multigrain chapati, hand-pounded or brown rice, dal or usal, leafy and seasonal vegetables prepared with limited oil, curd or buttermilk, salads and fruits instead of sweets.
Other suggested items include low-oil khichdi, vegetable pulao, paneer, sprouts-based curry, and properly cooked fish, chicken or mutton.
Government departments have been directed to include provisions for healthy menus in new food and catering contracts. A menu inspection committee will oversee the implementation of the guidelines in departmental canteens, while a nodal officer will also be appointed.
The GR further calls for periodic audits of canteens in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration. Catering and food procurement contracts must also ensure that nutritional information about food items is displayed.
The Public Health Department said the initiative aims to improve health awareness, reduce risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases and improve efficiency and productivity.
The department cited the rising incidence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart disease and other non-communicable diseases in Maharashtra as a serious public health concern. It attributed the trend to changing lifestyles, sedentary work patterns, increasing stress, unbalanced diets and the growing consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods.
The order will apply to all Maharashtra government departments, directorates, commissioners' offices, district collectorates, Zilla Parishads, municipal corporations and municipalities, government training institutions, government-aided autonomous bodies and government canteens across the state.
(With PTI inputs)
