Work begins on 100 food streets project
The project envisages transformation of 100 food streets in 100 districts across India
image for illustrative purpose
The central government has begun work on the Healthy and Hygienic Food Streets project, which envisages the transformation of 100 food streets in 100 districts across the country. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and with technical support from the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), is carrying out the project.
The FSSAI will soon engage a knowledge partner for the project, official sources told Bizz Buzz. The knowledge partner will interact and coordinate with multiple stakeholders at the State and district levels.
The project is likely to begin in the next fiscal, though efforts will be made to start it by the end of March 2024. The aim of this project is to encourage safe and healthy food practices among food businesses and community members, thus reducing food-borne illnesses and improving the overall health outcomes.
To operationalize the food streets, the National Health Mission (NHM) of the MoHFW will provide an assistance of Rs1 crore per food street as a pilot project to support 100 such food streets in different locations across the country.
In most big states, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, there would be four food streets. The grant will be routed under NHM, in the ratio of 60:40 or 90:10, with the condition that branding of these food streets will be done as per the FSSAI guidelines.
The financial assistance would be provided for activities such as provision of safe drinking water, hand washing, toilet facilities, tiled flooring of common areas, appropriate liquid & solid waste disposal, provision of dustbins, using billboards, façade preparation and signage of permanent nature, common storage space, lighting, specialized carts for specific type of trades, and branding.
The FSSAI’s technical support will include assistance in designing of food streets, preparation of an SOP, and providing training under the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points protocol.
