Eat Right India Movement
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Health and Nutrition Schemes · Topic 4.12
The Eat Right India Movement is a national campaign of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, launched on 10 July 2018 to transform the country's food system so that every citizen gets safe, healthy and sustainable food. Its tagline is Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan. It rests on the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and works through regulatory steps, capacity building, collaboration and citizen empowerment. Its tools include Eat Right Station, Eat Right Campus, Eat Right Mela, the Clean Street Food Hub and the Trans Fat Free India drive, with a goal of under 2 per cent trans fat in oils and fats.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Health and Nutrition Schemes
At a Glance
- Agency FSSAI
- Ministry Health and Family Welfare
- Launched 10 July 2018
- Tagline Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan
- Pillars Safe, healthy, sustainable
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Health and Nutrition Schemes
Where Does It Fit?
This is the last topic of the macro on health and nutrition. It looks at the food side of health, in contrast to the earlier topics that deal with services and insurance. Previous topic: National TB Elimination Programme. Next topic: Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
What Are the Pillars and Initiatives of the Movement?
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Launch | 10 July 2018 by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, as a movement for a citizen-led shift to safe and healthy diets |
| Three themes | Eat Safe, Eat Healthy and Eat Sustainably, with focus on reducing food waste and promoting local and seasonal food |
| Eat Right Station | A railway station, bus stand or airport certified for providing safe and healthy food |
| Eat Right Campus | A school, college, workplace, hospital or prison certified for safe and healthy food and a healthy environment |
| Clean Street Food Hub | A cluster of street food vendors trained and certified in hygiene |
| Eat Right Mela | A public fair for awareness through food stalls, quizzes and health checks |
| Safe and Nutritious Food at School | A programme in schools to educate children and promote a healthy diet, with Eat Right School certification |
Which Regulations and Campaigns Support It?
- Legal base: the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 created FSSAI as a single regulator and merged several older food laws, and the Authority is based in New Delhi
- Trans fat limit: the Authority limited industrial trans fat to 2 per cent of total oils and fats from January 2022, in line with the World Health Organization call for elimination
- Food fortification: the +F logo marks fortified foods such as wheat flour, rice, oil, milk and double fortified salt, and fortified rice is supplied through public schemes, as reported
- Front-of-pack labelling: FSSAI has worked on rules for warnings about salt, sugar and saturated fat on packaged food, and the final design remains under discussion, as reported
- Food safety: licences, registration of food businesses, laboratory testing and the FoSCoS online system support enforcement
- Hygiene ratings: food businesses can be audited and given a hygiene rating, and Eat Right awards recognise good performers
- Food Safety Mitra: trained persons help small food businesses comply with rules and get licences
- Link to nutrition: the movement supports diet quality goals along with national programmes, as in POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission)
What Else Should You Remember?
- Why it matters: unsafe food causes foodborne illness, and poor diets contribute to obesity, diabetes, hypertension and anaemia, which makes food a public health issue
- Double burden: India faces undernutrition and rising overweight at the same time, which NFHS-5 data shows in the same households
- Slogan and logo: the logo shows a green plate and the tagline Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan, and the aim is an easy to remember public message
- Eat Right Research Awards: FSSAI gives awards to promote research on food safety and nutrition in universities and institutions
- Clean and fresh fruit and vegetables: a campaign to promote safe fruit and vegetable handling and sale
- Aahaar Kranti: a mass awareness campaign launched by the movement in 2018 on diet and food safety
- World Food Safety Day: observed on 7 June each year, and the Authority uses the day for awareness events
- Link to school meals: school meals follow food safety guidelines, as in Mid-Day Meal Scheme (PM POSHAN)
- Supplement and health claims: FSSAI regulates nutraceuticals and health supplements, and advertising claims are checked under the Act and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019
- Milk and adulteration: periodic national surveys test milk and other foods for adulteration, and results often lead to enforcement
- Limits: enforcement capacity is limited, a large informal food sector is hard to regulate and labelling debates are contested by industry
- Global link: the Codex Alimentarius Commission sets global food standards, and India is an active member, so many FSSAI standards align with Codex
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Agency: FSSAI, a statutory body under the Health Ministry
- Tagline: Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan
- Date: 10 July 2018
- Statute: Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
- Traps: FSSAI is not under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, and the +F logo is for fortified food
As an analytical point, a regulator alone cannot change diets. The movement works only when labelling, school food, street food and public awareness reinforce each other and when enforcement is credible.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Facts Agency, tagline, date
- Policy Food regulation
- Mains Diet and the double burden
What Came Next?
The next macro covers education and skill development schemes. Next topic: Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
Key People and Terms
- FSSAI Food regulator
- +F logo Fortified food mark
- Trans fat Harmful industrial fat
- FoSCoS Licensing portal
- Codex Global food standards
- FOPL Front-of-pack labels
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Launched: 10 July 2018.
- Agency: FSSAI.
- Tagline: Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan.
- Trans fat cap: 2 per cent.
- Act: FSS Act, 2006.
Do Not Confuse With
- Eat Right India and POSHAN Abhiyaan Safe and healthy food for all versus a mission against child malnutrition
- FSSAI and Agmark Food safety regulator versus a quality grading mark for farm produce
- Fortification and supplementation Adding nutrients to staples versus giving tablets
Memory Hook
Eat safe, eat healthy, eat sustainably: Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about regulation, labelling and diet related disease. These points give a frame.
- Aim Safe and healthy diets
- Gaps Enforcement and labelling
- Way Credible rules and awareness
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Examine the role of the Eat Right India Movement in addressing food safety and the double burden of malnutrition.”
How to Answer
- Intro State the FSSAI movement and its three themes.
- Role Safety, diet quality, awareness.
- Gaps Enforcement, informal sector, labelling.
- Way Front-of-pack labels, testing, school food.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Eat Right India Movement?
The Eat Right India Movement is a national campaign by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, launched on 10 July 2018, to promote safe, healthy and sustainable food. Its tagline is Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan, and it works through certification, awareness and regulation across the food chain.
Which ministry and agency run the Eat Right India Movement?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India runs the movement. FSSAI is a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, set up under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. State food safety commissioners and local officers help enforce rules and certify participants.
What are Eat Right Station and Eat Right Campus?
Eat Right Station is a certificate for railway stations, airports and bus stands that offer safe and healthy food. Eat Right Campus is given to schools, colleges, workplaces, hospitals and prisons that meet standards on food safety, healthy diets and a clean environment, after an audit by an FSSAI approved agency.
What is the limit on trans fat in India?
FSSAI limited industrial trans fat to 2 per cent of total oils and fats in foods from January 2022. India has supported the World Health Organization goal of eliminating industrial trans fats, and the Trans Fat Free India drive aims at removing them through regulation and awareness.
What is the latest status of food labelling reform in India?
FSSAI has been working on front-of-pack labelling to warn consumers about high salt, sugar and saturated fat in packaged foods. As reported, the final design is still under discussion, so the position should be checked in current notifications.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Eat Right India Movement is run by FSSAI.
It was launched on 10 July 2018.
2 The Eat Right India tagline is Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan.
It stresses safe and healthy food.
3 FSSAI functions under the Ministry of Agriculture.
It is under the Health Ministry.
4 The +F logo marks fortified foods.
For example wheat flour and oil.
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