The government is creating 100 food streets across India, with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh getting four each. The goal is to promote safe and healthy food practices among food businesses and community members, reduce foodborne illnesses, and improve overall health outcomes. The initiative is being led by the Union Health Ministry and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs as part of the National Health Mission (NHM).
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Union Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Manoj Joshi stressed the importance of easy access to safe and hygienic food for citizens. Safe food practices not only promote the “eat right campaign” and food safety, but also improve the hygiene credibility of local food businesses, boost local employment and tourism, and benefit the economy.
Street foods are an affordable daily diet for millions of people and provide livelihoods for millions more. However, food safety and hygiene at street food outlets and hubs are a concern. To address these issues, the food streets initiative will be implemented with Rs one crore financial assistance to fill critical gaps. Funding will be in a 60:40 or 90:10 ratio, with the condition that standard branding of these food streets will be done as per Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines.
Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities, and District Collectors will take major initiatives at the state level to ensure convergence in terms of financial resources and physical infrastructure. The initiative is a pilot project that aims to set an example for other such streets to come up across the country.
