The Union Health Ministry, in partnership with the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, has urged states and union territories to establish 100 food streets in 100 districts throughout the country. As part of this initiative, 11 food streets have been proposed in the Northeast region, with Assam receiving four and Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim receiving one each.
The Union Health Ministry stated that this project is a pilot program aimed at establishing an example for similar streets to be developed across the country, ensuring hygienic and safe food practices. The goal of this program is to promote safe and healthy food practices among food businesses and community members, resulting in a reduction in foodborne illnesses and an improvement in overall health outcomes.
In a letter to states, Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary, and Manoj Joshi, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs Secretary, emphasized the importance of access to safe and hygienic food for citizens’ good health. They stated that safe food practices not only promote the “eat right campaign” and food safety, but also enhance the hygiene credibility of local food businesses, boost local employment, tourism, and, in turn, the economy. It also leads to a cleaner and greener environment.
The National Health Mission (NHM) will implement this initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, with technical support from the FSSAI. Financial assistance in the form of Rs 1 crore per food street/district will be provided to states/union territories to fill critical gaps. This assistance will be provided under the NHM in the ratio of 60:40 or 90:10, with the condition that the food streets adhere to FSSAI guidelines for standard branding.
