Lok Sabha Question No. 2713 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Wastage of Food
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: K. GOPAL

## Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2713

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2015

## WASTAGE OF FOOD

2713. DR. K. GOPAL:

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to launch any campaign to create awareness among the people about food wastage in parties and other social functions; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=ky; ea=h ¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½

## THE MINISTER FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

- (a)  : No Madam.
- (b)  : Does not arise. However, it is stated that on 30.5.2011 the Central Government set up a Committee  on  containment  of  wastage  of  food  grains  and  ostentatious  behaviour  witnessed especially during marriages/parties/functions under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs which lapsed on 31.3.2014. The details of action taken by the Government on the recommendations of the committee on the subject are at Annexure.

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## ANNEXURE

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO.2713 FOR 15.12.2015 REGARDING WASTAGE OF FOOD.

ACTION  TAKEN  BY  THE  GOVERNMENT  ON  THE  RECOMMENDATIONS  OF  THE COMMITTEE ON CONTAINMENT OF WASTAGE OF FOODGRAINS AND OSTENTATIOUS  BEHAVIOUR  WITNESSED  ESPECIALLY  DURING  MARRIAGES/ PARTIES/FUNCTIONS.

- A. i) An awareness campaign through Audio/Visual Publicity on the  lines of  'Jago Grahak Jago'  was  included  as  a  part  of  the  scheme  for  sensitizing  the  general  public  on  this issue.
2. ii) An  awareness  campaign  through  the  consumer  clubs  in  Schools  and  Colleges  was promoted  with  the  help  of  State  Govts./UT  Administrations  under  the  scheme  of consumer clubs.
3. iii) The  State  Governments/UTs  were  advised  vide  the  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs letter  dated  25.8.2011  to  create  awareness  on  wastage  of  foodgrains  and  ostentatious behaviour witnessed especially during social gatherings such as marriages/parties/functions and to contain them so as to sensitise the student community on the issue, predominantly using the local/regional languages beside English and Hindi.
- B. The  Ministry  of  Human  Resource  Development  took  up  the  matter  with  the  NCERT  and CBSE. The National Curriculum Framework developed by NCERT includes 'Food' as one among six common themes of the syllabus of 'Environmental Studies' of Class III to V and in 'Science' subject from Class VI to X.  The contents related to 'Wastage of Food' have been included in the syllabus on Health & Physical Education as a compulsory subject upto Secondary stage (Class XIXII),  to  avoid  wastage  of  food.  Some  states  included  a  chapter  on  the  subject  at  Higher  Senior Secondary School levels.
- C. The  Indian  Institute  of  Public  Administration  (IIPA)  was  entrusted  with  the  task  of conducting  a  study  on  food  wastages  in  four  cities  viz.,  New  Delhi,  Ghaziabad,  Faridabad  and Gurgaon  for  assessing  the  magnitude  of  the  problem.  IIPA  has  submitted  its  Final  Report  on 6.2.2012.  The Report was appreciated by the Committee.
- D. The Government vide D.O letter dated 7.11.2012 requested all the Chief Ministers to take further action in the matter, a copy of the Study Report of the IIPA was also forwarded to all the Ministries/Departments of the Government of India vide D.O. letter dated 8.11.2012 to look into the matter and enforce some of the recommendations/ observations contained in the Report wherever applicable in the functions/ meetings, etc of their respective Ministries/Departments.

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