FSSAI organises Eat Right Challenge orientation workshop

The Food Safety Commissioners and district officials such as District Magistrates and Designated Officers of the cities also joined in the online workshop

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare presided over an online orientation workshop organised by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as part of its Eat Right Challenge recently.

He also launched FSSAI’s ‘Eat Right India’ Handbook and the website eatrightindia.gov.in to help various stakeholders scale up ‘Eat Right India’ initiatives across the country. Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare was also present.

The Food Safety Commissioners and district officials such as District Magistrates and Designated Officers of the cities also joined in the online workshop.

Releasing the ‘Eat Right Handbook’, a useful reference guide for officials to adopt and scale-up Eat Right India (ERI) initiatives in their respective jurisdictions, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, “Food is not only about hunger or taste but about health and nourishment. The workshop is unique in that it brings big restaurant chefs to roadside eatery owners under the same umbrella to achieve a single goal.”

Addressing the officials of the 197 cities and districts present, he highlighted the pressing need for the campaign. He stated that of the 135 crore people inhabiting India “196 million are victims of chronic hunger while another 180 million suffer from obesity. 47 million children have stunted growth while another 25 million are wasted. 500 million are deficient in micro-nutrients and 100 million suffer from food-borne diseases.” This movement will sharpen our focus towards prioritising food, nutrition and awareness about out eating and dietary habits to prevent and address these challenges, he added. This will also bring into sharper focus the problem of food wastage and disposal of food.