Lok Sabha Question No. 419 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: Ayurveda Diet 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. 419 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03 RD  FEBRUARY, 2023

## AYURVEDA DIET PRODUCTS

## 419. SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Ministry has formulated rules for 'Ayurveda Diet' products;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  adequate  measures  are  being  taken  to  create  public  awareness  towards  'Ayurveda Diet'; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

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

(a) and (b): Yes, Madam. In order to recognize India's age old principles of Ayurveda and the Aahar prepared as per ancient texts, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has formulated Food Safety and Standards (Ayurveda Aahar) 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 Aahar' 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 AAHAR' 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): Yes, Madam. 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. The Ministry implements the Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of Information Education and Communication (IEC) in AYUSH to create awareness regarding AYUSH Systems of Medicine. This aims to reach out to all sections of the population across the country. This scheme provides assistance for organizing National/State Arogya Fairs, Yoga Fests/Utsavs, Ayurveda Parvs etc. The Ministry also undertakes Multi-Media, Print Media Campaigns for creating awareness about Ayush systems.

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  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.

As  per  the  'Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0'  guidelines  published  by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, role of Ministry of Ayush is as follows -

-  To recommend simple Ayurveda interventions to improve digestive capacity
-  To populate Poshan Vatikas with medicinal plant and saplings, technical assistance, etc.
-  To recommend local recipes integrating locally  grown vegetables  &  food  substances,  red rice, various millets etc. Ghee or locally produced oils in THR recipes and Cow's milk.
-  To  recommend  various  AYUSH  practices/  products  that  have  been  successfully  used  for reducing  wasting,  anemia,  and  low  birth  weight  and  bolster  immunity.  Convergence  of  7 lakh AYUSH registered practitioners with States/UTs to derive maximum benefits
-  Anganwadi workers to be encouraged to undergo the short training programs developed by Ministry  of  Ayush  in  collaboration  with  Skill  council  for  'Ayurveda  Poshan  Sahayak'  to strengthen integration of AYUSH component.

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  is  creating  awareness  for Ayurveda ahara by circulating IEC material in Community through health check camps and displayed the same in respective facilities.
- ii. Institute  of  Teaching  and  Research  in  Ayurveda  (ITRA),  under  Ministry  of  Ayush  has organized  Awareness  lectures  about  Ayurveda  Aahar  in  public  interest.  Further,  following activities has also been conducted by ITRA-
3.  Exhibition of banners on Aahar,
4.  Distribution of IEC material,
5.  Nukkad Natak on Ayurveda Aahar,
6.  Teachers Training Program
- iii. National  Institute  of  Ayurveda  (NIA)  under  Ministry  of  Ayush  had  organised  a  three  day long  Ayush  Expo  and  Food  festival  from  11th  to  13 th   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. National Institute of Ayurveda has also conducted following:
8.  State  level  cooking  competition  'Nalpaka'  for  general  public  in  which  the  participants prepared various Ayush Aahara.
9.  Institute level competitions for preparation of Ayush Aahara.
10.  Prepared IEC material displayed at ' Kartavya Path' , 'Indian International Trade fair' , Bharat  Parv  ,  Global  Ayush  Investment  and  Innovation  Summit  (held  at  Gandhinagar) and at various other expo and fairs.
11.  Many food items prepared with the guidelines like - JauSattu (3 variants), Ayush Atta, Triphala  Jam  and  Ragi  cookies  etc    were  also  displayed  and  sold  at  Kartavya  Path'  , 'Indian International Trade fair' , Bharat Parv , Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (held at Gandhinagar) and at various other expo and fairs.
12.  Awareness lectures and camps in and around Jaipur.
- iv. Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV) has conducted one day sensitization programme on 'Ayurveda Aahara' on 28.01.2023 at Delhi.
- v. The  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Ayurvedic  Sciences  (CCRAS)  is  organizing  various activities viz. Ayurveda day, Poshan maah (in the month of September), poshan pakhwada

(in the month of march) and also participating in various webinars, seminars, conferences for creating public awareness towards Ayurveda diet and products through its robust network of 30 peripheral institutes and Headquarters office under the directives of Ministry of Ayush. CCRAS is also organizing  regular lectures  for  awareness  through  Out  Patient  Department (OPD) and research oriented outreach health care programme viz. Tribal health care research programme,  Women and  child  health  care  program  under  SCSP,  Ayurveda  mobile  health care  program  under  SCSP,  National  Programme  for  prevention  and  Control  of  Cancer, Diabetes,  Cardio-vascular  disease  and  Stroke  (NPCDCS)  and  north  east  programs  in  all peripheral  units.  During  the  celebration  of  7 th   Ayurveda  day  2022,  approximately  127 Ayurveda  Aahar  related  activities  were  organized  by  the  CCRAS  and  total  number  of beneficiaries were approximately 22914.

CCRAS has also published Ayurveda Based Diet and Life Style Guidelines for Prevention of Cardiac Disorders, Ayurveda based diet & life Style Guidelines for Prevention and  Management  of  Skin  Diseases  and  Ayurveda-Based  Dietary  Guidelines  for  Mental Disorders which are available on the CCRAS's website.

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