The Health Ministry’s move, in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, to develop 100 food streets in 100 districts of the country is a welcome initiative intended to encourage healthy food habits and make affordable food accessible to large numbers of people.
Street food is a major part of the food business in India and plays a great role in preserving the country’s diverse food traditions and local tastes. Street food is popular mainly because it is easily available in quick time and at affordable prices.
These should be the guiding ideas of the proposed food streets. There will be a clear emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene which are not the top positive points of street food. Food streets already exist in many cities but the new proposal envisages the setting up of more of them with clear guidelines about their nature and functioning.
The government has said that the practices to be followed on the food streets will promote the ‘eat right’ campaign and improve the hygiene credibility of local food businesses, boost local employment, tourism and economy and lead to a cleaner and greener environment.
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This is intended as a pilot project to set an example for other food streets. The government will provide financial assistance of Rs 1 crore for each food street and the initiative will be supported by technical assistance from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The assistance will be given under the National Health Mission with the condition that standard branding of these food markets will be done in accordance with FSSAI guidelines. The project is expected to help reduce the incidence of food-borne diseases and improve overall health outcomes.
The FSSAI has estimated that there are about 20 lakh street food vendors in the country.
The street food map is changing with more food trucks coming on the scene, which is still dominated by food carts. Food trucks have greater mobility, more space and more items on the menu than carts. They can be more hygienic.
The cart needs lower investment and the food may be less expensive. While the food street and the food trucks are promoted, it is necessary to help the street vendors to improve their quality and standards, mainly in terms of cleanliness and hygiene and waste disposal.
The livelihood of lakhs of families depends on them and so they should not be pushed out of the streets. Food streets should be considered as another expression of the country’s food culture, and should add to its diversity, like the country’s diverse tastes and food traditions.