Lok Sabha Question No. 1015 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-08
Subject: Junk Food
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT, BHAGWANTH KHUBA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1015 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08 TH FEBRUARY, 2019

## JUNK FOOD

## 1015. SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE: SHRI ARVIND SAWANT: SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  conducts  testin foodgrains distributed under Public Distribution System (PDS);
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the number of samples taken and reports presented the last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note that sales and consumption of junk food is increasing in the country particul arly in and around schools and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to impose restriction on the sale and consumption of food in the country particularly in and around the schools to check the risk of various among people and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether th e Government also proposes to take any steps to tackle the problem to save health of our children by encouraging food industry to promote nutritional food and if details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMIL Y WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) & (b): The standards for food grains have been prescribed under sub -regulation 2.4.6 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 201 which have to be complied with by all Food Business Operators (FBOs).

The implementati on and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Rules and Regulations made thereunder primarily lies with State/UT Governments. The Food Safe and Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI) has specifically asked State Food Safety Commissioners t o ensure compliance of prescribed standards of food grains, inter - alia,   by FCI, Food & Supply Departments and Fair Price Shops.

Contd…….

Regular  surveillance,  monitoring,  inspection  and  random  sampling  of  food  produc including  food  grains  distributed  under  Public  Distribution  System,  are  carried  out officials of Food Safety Departments of the respective States/UTs and where the fo od samples are  found  non - conforming  to  the  prescribed  standards,  penal  action  is  taken  against defaulting FBOs as per provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 and  R Regulations made thereunder.

As  per  information  received  fr om  States  /UTs,  the  details  of  food  samples  analysed, found non - conforming and action taken during the last three years is at Annexure .

However, separate information relating to   sampling of food grains distributed PDS is not available from States /UTs. Information relating to current year is not available.

(c)& (d): 'Junk  Food'  is  not  defined  under  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act,  2006  and Regulations thereunder.  However, draft guidelines titled as 'Guidelines  for  making  available Wholesome Nutritious,  Safe  and  Hygienic  Food  to  School  Children  in  India'  prepared  by  an Expert Group /Central Advisory Committee as per the directions of the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi in the matter of WP (C) No. 8568 of 2010 titled 'Uday Foundation for Congenial defects and Rare Blood Vs UOI & Others' has been issued by FSSAI wherein the availability of most common High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) foods in schools have been restricted/limited.

(e): FSSAI has been leading 'The Eat Right India' movement since July, 2018 to improve public health in India and combat negative nutritional trends to fight lifestyle diseases.

The strength of 'The Eat Right Movement' lies in its holistic and collaborative approach, with stakeholders on b th the demand and supply - side joining to make a difference through some clearly identified steps. On the demand side, the Eat Right Movement focuses on empower citizens  to  make  the  right  food  choices,  on  the  supply  side,  it  nudges  food  busine reformulate  their  products,  provide  better  nutritional  information  to  consumers  and investments in healthy food as responsible food businesses.

…………….

## Annexure

| Statement regarding number of samples of food products examined, found non - conforming to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made prosecution launched during the last three years   | Statement regarding number of samples of food products examined, found non - conforming to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made prosecution launched during the last three years   | Statement regarding number of samples of food products examined, found non - conforming to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made prosecution launched during the last three years   | Statement regarding number of samples of food products examined, found non - conforming to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made prosecution launched during the last three years   | Statement regarding number of samples of food products examined, found non - conforming to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made prosecution launched during the last three years   | Statement regarding number of samples of food products examined, found non - conforming to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made prosecution launched during the last three years   | Statement regarding number of samples of food products examined, found non - conforming to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made prosecution launched during the last three years   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Numb er of samples analysed                                                                                                                                                                                                            | Number of samples found non - conforming                                                                                                                                                                                               | Number of cases in which Civil/ Criminal cases launched                                                                                                                                                                                | Number of cases of Conviction                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Cases of penalty                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | Cases of penalty                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Year                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Numb er of samples analysed                                                                                                                                                                                                            | Number of samples found non - conforming                                                                                                                                                                                               | Number of cases in which Civil/ Criminal cases launched                                                                                                                                                                                | Number of cases of Conviction                                                                                                                                                                                                          | No. of cases in which Penalties imposed                                                                                                                                                                                                | Amount of penalty raised                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 2015- 16                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 72499                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 16133                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 9979                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 540                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 3669                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Rs.21,65,98,989                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 2016- 17                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 78340                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 18325                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 13080                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1605                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 4757                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Rs.17,01,93,266                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 2017- 18                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 99353                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 24262                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 15121                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 5198                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 7627                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Rs.26,35,41,067                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |

Source: States/UTs