Ban junk food in school canteens, Women and Child Development Ministry recommends

A 10-member committee formed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and led by T Longvah, Director of National Institute of Nutrition has recommended the government to ban 12 categories of food items in and around schools, according to a Hindustan Times report.

The food categories vary from burgers to soft drinks and pizzas. Instead, the committee has proposed food items like idlis, rice, dal, pulao, rajma etc. to be served in school canteens. 

They have also recommended that street vendors who sell these food items are not allowed within 200 metres of the school boundaries during school hours. Moreover, they have suggested that school canteens colour code their food items as green, yellow and orange according to its nutritional values.       

Although India does not have any regulation to ban these food items in schools, the committee hopes to bring about a change. "We will give the report to the Human Resource Development ministry which will take a call on its implementation,” a WCD official told the daily. 

This is not the first time that attempts are being made for healthier food choices in school canteens. Restriction on the availability of junk food in schools was also recommended in March 2014 by a committee set up by the Centre. They had then suggested on a 50 metre restriction for street vendors. 

As of now, the draft guidelines have been accepted by the High Court which has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to implement them within three months, the daily reported.