Regulating food-system in the country by increasing role of IRCTC
By;Subhash Chandra Agrawal
New Delhi,(30/03/26):It is quite common that harmful oils and animal-facts are widely being used at road-side dhabas, and in some eateries in name of butter. Central and state governments should take necessary steps whereby such spurious ‘butter’ may not be possible to be used. After shocking incident of adulterated ghee found used in holy prasad of laddoos in Tirumala TirupatiDevasthanam during earlier regime, it has become necessary to take preventive steps to ensure that such adulterated desi ghee may not be used by confectioners and eateries.Information about brand-name and other information of the manufacturer of desi ghee should be mandatorily shared by them with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Rather such information can be made public by putting such details of branded raw goods including ghee and oil can be directed to be placed at prominent places in outlets of confectioners, eateries etc.
Taking cognisance of alleged incidents of spitting and mixing urine in eatables in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanathrightly directed that the name and address of operators, proprietors and managers should be displayed at all food centres making it compulsory for chefs and waiters to wear masks and gloves, besides making installation of CCTV cameras compulsory in hotels and restaurants. Even minister Vikramaditya Singh in Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government desired to follow the same pattern. With so many Rohangias and Bangladeshis present in India, such steps should be mandatorily taken by all states keeping aside pseudo-secular politics.
Appreciable steps taken by FASSI
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) deserves all compliments for taking steps in direction to make it compulsory for all eateries to display hygiene-ratings on their doors. But it should be ensured that hygiene-rating is not based only on cosmetic aspects of dining area. Rating should cover kitchen and storage areas also. It is quite usual that rats are in stores of eateries, and kitchens are unhygienic.
FSSAI has also taken yet other important step to have much-required regulation on re-use of cooking oil through repeated frying, since repeatedly fried oil is a serious health-hazard. Time has come that FSSAI may make it compulsory to install RO water-purifiers in every eatery however small it may be, making it compulsory for each eatery to prominently display about installing RO water-purifier. FSSAI should also take steps to ensure that kitchen-wares for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food may be separate in eateries to respect sentiments of vegetarian people.
This aspect should also be compulsorily displayed prominently in all eateries.
Celebrating World Vegetarian Day on 1st October
Central government should propagate vegetarianism on lines of Yoga internationally by ensuring only vegetarian food to be served in all government-parties. Even foreign dignitaries will find it a welcome change to taste renowned Indian vegetarian food at a time when Indian housewives are supposed to be best cooks amongst ladies world-wide. Sale of meat is already prohibited in accordance with sentiments of majority Hindus in holy cities like Ayodhya and Mathura.Vegetarianism is spreading fast worldwide with celebration of World Vegetarian Day on every 1st October.Government of India should approach United Nations to celebrate 1st October as Vegetarian Day on lines of Yoga Day.
Central and state governments should order that hotels, restaurants and eateries may have separate kitchens and kitchen-wares to cook non-vegetarian food, prominently displaying about adoption of such practice inside and outside their premises. Such display will rather increase their business because of increase of vegetarian clientele preferring separate kitchens and kitchenware for cooking vegetarian food.
Branded packed food-items should replace freshly cooked food in schools and trains
News reports frequently appear about insects, frogs, lizards, rats etc. apart from sub-standard raw-material like rice and pulses with lot of foreign ingredients reportedly used to cook mid-day meal in schools. There have been many incidents of kids falling ill after taking fresh cooked meal in schools. Only packaged food preferably baked food should be served in schools to ensure hygiene. It will also take care of peculiar food-habits of some children like avoiding onion and garlic. Thirty Parliamentarians onceappealed to government for packaged biscuits procured from reputed companies recommended by Mumbai-based Biscuits Manufacturers Welfare Association (BMWA) to replace cooked food in Mid-Day meal-scheme. Government can save money by inspiring big manufacturers of packaged food to sponsor the programme by getting publicity of their trade-name in return. Even corporates can be asked to fund Mid-Day meal scheme with packaged food supplied under Corporate-Social-Responsibility,mandatory for big companies.
Extend scope of IRCTC widely to prepare packaged food for schools and trains
Units of Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) should be set up in every district of the country which may also produce baked items. Packagedfood-products prepared by IRCTC can be provided as mid-day meal in schools and for train-passengers where also there are frequent complaints in freshly cooked meal. IRCTC products then can be sold in open market also for developing a healthy competition with private companies to sell quality products at economical prices. Initial funding required for such mega-project of IRCTC can be generated through long-term tax-free bonds. It will also provide large scale employment even in rural areas preventing migration to cities in search of employment.
Adulterated Honey
Supreme Court on 19.04.2021 had sought comments of central and state governments on reports of adulterated honey being marketed in India even in popular brands of renowned companies where some special type of sugar imported from Chine mixed with honey bypasses tests as required by Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI). Research done by Centre for Science and Environment says that only three out of 70 samples of honey being marketed in India could pass internationally accepted NMR spectroscopy test.If the report is correct, then it is playing with lives of Indian people because diabetic people consume honey because honey is otherwise considered safe for diabetic people. FSSAI should adopt internationally accepted NMR spectroscopy test for giving sale-permission for honey.
Co-operative giant Amul ranking 15th in top 100 most valuable food brands in the world – needs to be encouraged further in larger public-interest of India
It is a matter of pride for cooperative sector in India when Amul ranked 15th in top 100 most valuable food-brands in the world according to the Brand Finance Food and Drink 2021 report with private-sector Britannia being the only other Indian company to find 54th place. Such units in public or co-operative sector should be encouraged by providing government-facilities including subsidized land to set up more units in a manner that other Indian companies both in private and public sector may be motivated to be likewise ranked internationally.Successful bid of Amulto get Delhi Milk scheme (DMS) on lease should be accepted, may be after some increase in lease-amount through table-negotiation to effectively utilize national resources and to eliminate heavy recurring loss of DMS to the public exchequer. Managements of public sector IRCTC and Mother Dairy should be pulled for not finding place in top 100 most valuable food-brands in the world despite heavy public-money invested in these public-sector companies.
Dual pricing of water-bottles and food-items must not be allowed
Famous branded companies marketing in packaged water-bottles and cold drinks have dual pricing for same product, one normal price for open-market sale, and the other higher one to be sold in flights, theatres and five-starred hotels etc. This anti-consumer practice must be stopped. Best is to set up water-bottling plants of Rail-Neer marketed by IRCTC in different parts of the country.
Wastage of food: Serving food in marriage-related functions be banned
At a time when a large number of people in India are deprived of food in present era of heavy prices of vegetables and other food-items, it is indeed a matter of great regret that large quantity of food is wasted in marriage-related functions. Even in buffet-system, people often take food-items much more than consumed throwing large quantity of food-items as waste. There should be a ban on serving food in marriage-parties. Only soft drinks and beverages should be allowed. It will also make marriage-functions affordable by common people.
Writer is Guinness World Record Holder for writing most letters and RTI Consultant
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