Maharashtra government canteens and official meetings will now have to offer healthier food and beverages, including millet khichdi, sprouts curry, solkadhi and other nutritious options. The state Public
Health Department issued an order on Wednesday directing government offices to gradually reduce the availability of ultra-processed foods and items high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.
The directive was issued through a Government Resolution (GR) and applies across government departments and institutions in the state.
Healthier Menu To Follow ICMR, FSSAI Guidelines
The new menu will be prepared in accordance with 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).
The focus will be on food containing lower amounts of salt, sugar and oil. For short meetings and refreshments, the recommended options include seasonal fruits, roasted or boiled chickpeas and peanuts, sprouts, vegetable poha, idli-sambar, vegetable upma, millet khichdi, boiled eggs, nuts and seeds.
Coconut Water, Buttermilk And Solkadhi On Beverage List
The guidelines also recommend healthier beverage choices. These 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 suggested menu is more extensive and includes jowar, bajra or ragi bhakri, multigrain chapati, hand-pounded or brown rice, dal or usal, and leafy and seasonal vegetables prepared with limited oil.
Curd or buttermilk, salads, fruit in place of sweets, low-oil khichdi, vegetable pulao, paneer, sprouts-based curry, and properly cooked fish, chicken or mutton have also been included in the recommendations.
Healthy Food To Be Included In Catering Contracts
The government has directed departments to include specific provisions for healthy menus in new food and catering contracts.
Catering and food procurement contracts will also have to require the display of nutritional information for food items.
Inspection Committee To Monitor Canteens
A menu inspection committee will oversee the implementation of the order in departmental canteens, while a nodal officer will also be appointed for the purpose.
Periodic inspections and audits of canteens will be carried out in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration, according to the GR.
Move Aims To Tackle Lifestyle-Related Diseases
The initiative is aimed at increasing health awareness, reducing risk factors for non-communicable diseases and improving efficiency and productivity, the order said.
The Public Health Department highlighted 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 growing consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods.
Order Covers Government Offices Across Maharashtra
The directive applies to all Maharashtra government departments, directorates, commissioners’ offices, district collectorates, Zilla Parishads, municipal corporations and municipalities.
It also covers government training institutions, government-aided autonomous bodies and all government canteens.
