Lok Sabha Question No. 2277 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Ayurvedic Aahar Products
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Hema Malini

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2277 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH  JULY, 2022

## 'AYURVEDIC AAHAR PRODUCTS'

## 2277.  SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- a) whether  the  rules  regarding  'Ayurvedic  Aahar'  products  have  been  formulated  by  the respective Ministry;
- b) if so, the details thereof;
- c) whether  sufficient  measures  are  being  taken  to  create  awareness  regarding  'Ayurvedic Aahar'; and
- d) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AYUSH (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) and (b) Yes, Sir. In order to recognize India's age old principles of Ayurveda and the Aahara prepared  as  per  ancient  texts,  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  has formulated  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Ayurveda  Aahara)  Regulations,  2022  in  consultation with the Ministry of Ayush and notified the regulations in the official gazette on 5 th May, 2022.

The  regulations  define  'Ayurveda  Aahara'  a  food  prepared  in  accordance  with  the recipes  or  ingredients  or  processes  as  per  method  described  in  the  authoritative  books  of Ayurveda listed under 'Schedule A' of these regulations. The Regulations, inter-alia, exclude:

-  Ayurvedic  drugs  or  proprietary  Ayurvedic  medicines  and  medicinal  products,  cosmetics, narcotic or psychotropic substances,
-  Herbs  listed  under  Schedule  E-1  of  Drugs  &  Cosmetics  Act,  1940  and  Rules  1945 thereunder.
-  Metals based Ayurvedic drugs or medicines, bhasma or pishti,
-  Any other ingredients notified by the Authority from time to time,
-  Food  items  in  daily  use  (pulses,  rice,  flour,  vegetables)  without  addition  of  Ayurveda ingredients.

For  ease  of  identification  and  assurance  about  genuineness  of  the  product,  all  such products shall carry word 'AYURVEDA AAHARA' in close proximity to the product; and the specified logo in front of the pack of the label. The label shall carry statutory warning - 'ONLY FOR DIETARY USE'. Other labelling requirements have also been specified.

(c)  and  (d)  FSSAI  has  formulated  a  logo  for  Ayurveda  Aahar  to  create  its  unique  identity  for easy identification and the same was launched by the Hon'ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare on June 07, 2022. FSSAI has undertaken widespread publicity of the Ayurveda Aahar logo through the website as well as across social media platforms.

Under  the  Convergence  of  Poshan  Abhiyan,  Ministry  of  Ayush  is  a  key  partner    of Ministry of Women and Child Development. Ministry of Ayush has actively participated in the Jan  andolan  activities  under  Poshan  Abhiyan  celebrated  as  Poshan  Pakhwada  (around  March) and  Poshan  Maah  (during  the  month  of  September)  every  year.  During  the  Rashtriya  Poshan Maah  theme  wise  activities  are  conducted  throughout  the  country.  These  activities  include awareness campaigns on Ayurveda for well being, awareness about regional and seasonal food, traditional food for healthy mother and child, recipe competition etc. Ministry had also chosen the  theme  'Ayurveda  for  Poshan'  for  the  6 th Ayurveda  Day  that  was  celebrated  on  2 nd November, 2021.

Ministry  of  Ayush  also  participated  in  the  celebration  of  Poshan  Maah  and  Poshan Pakhwada organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development through the National Institutes/Research  Councils  under  the  Ministry  and  had  also  requested  to  all  the  Ayush Departments  of  all  the  States/UTs  for  the  same.  The  week  wise  activities  covered  under Rashtriya Poshan Maah to promote "Ayush Aahar" in the country are as under:

-  First  Week:  Plantation  activity  in  the  form  of  Poshan  Vatika  at  the  spaces  available  in Aanganwadi Centres, Gram Panchayat, Schools, etc.
-  Second Week: Yoga and Ayush for Nutrition (Yoga Sessions targeted for various groups like pregnant women, children and adolescent girls).
-  Third  Week:  Distribution  of  Nutrition  Kits  comprising  of  regional  nutritious  food  to beneficiaries of Aanganwadi along with IEC material in high burden districts.
-  Fourth Week: Identification of Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM)  children and organising Community Kitchen for the beneficiaries.

National Institutes and Research Councils under Ministry of Ayush has taken following measures to create awareness regarding 'Ayurvedic Aahar' -

- i. All  India  Institute  of  Ayurveda  (AIIA)  under  Ministry  of  Ayush  has  organized  Awareness lectures, camps to propagate significance of Ayurveda Ahara in nutrition. Further, following activities has also been conducted  by AIIA -
2.  Development  of  IEC  materials  in  public  interest  and  propagation  of  Ayurveda  Ahara through social media platforms,
3.  Organization of state and National level fairs, expo and food festivals of Ayurveda
4.  Development of Ayurveda Ahara at institutional level.
- ii. Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar has organized a Health Expo  from  09 th to  12 th December,  2021  for  spreading  awareness  in  common  public  on Ayurveda for Poshan. An Ayurvedic food festival was conducted in 12 stalls with traditional and  forgotten  recipes  of  foods  such  as  Ragi  Idli,  Dhaniya  Shots,  Cereal  and  Ragi  Soup, Ayurvedic  bhel,  Curcumin  chocolates,  Brahmi  Sharbat,  Drumstick  leaves  mixed  Thepla, Amla Jam and Papaya barfi etc.  Overall 22 different live food items and 34 packaged items were kept under selling in the Health Expo.
- iii. National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA)  under Ministry of Ayush had organised a three day long Ayush Expo and Food festival from 11th to 13th March'2022 at Shilpgram , Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur. The expo was an extension to the expo held on 2nd November 2021 for Ayurveda day 2021 themed 'Ayurveda for Poshan'.  The main purpose of the event was to propagate and promote the idea of healthy Ayurveda nutrition amongst the general public of Rajasthan.
- iv. Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has also conducted various activities including conduct of public lectures, Webinars, Distribution of Ayurvedic poshan

recipes  and  guidelines,  Ayurveda  Nutrition  Camps,  Ayush  Food  Festival,  Distribution  of Medicinal plants having nutrition value (such as Amlaki etc.), Quiz/Poster/Essay competitions and Nukkad natak at colleges and schools . CCRAS has developed a short Film on  "You're  What  You  Eat-  Ayurveda  for  Poshan"  conveying  the  Scientific  insights  of Ayurveda in light of Poshan Abhiyan initiatives by the Ministry of Ayush.

CCRAS  has  also  published  'Nutritional  Advocacy  in  Ayurveda  -  A  Pictorial Guide' which is intended as ready reference for awareness about Ayurveda based nutritional principles and nutritional benefits of the different commonly used food items prescribed by Ayurveda classics among masses.

Under the ambit of focused theme of 06 th Ayurveda Day 'Ayurveda for Poshan', CCRAS & its peripheral institutes has created awareness regarding Ayurvedic Aahar through National/State level Arogya melas, Health camps, exhibitions particularly during celebrations of  Ayurveda  Day,  Poshan  Maah  etc.  and  also  through  CCRAS  outreach  programs  viz. Swasthya  Rakshan  Program  (SRP),  Schedule  Caste  Sub  Plan  (SCSP)  Research  Program, Tribal  Health  Care  Research  Program  (THCRP),  etc.  in  different  states  of  the  country. Further, CCRAS has developed research based formulations like Antarctica Tea to be used as Rasayana /Nutrition Supplement and distributed widely during 06 th Ayurveda Day celebrations and Arogya Melas.

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