By Admin 
Maharashtra School Junk Food Ban: As soon as school is over, it is common to see a crowd of children standing outside selling samosas, vada pav and cold drinks. But now this scenario may change in Maharashtra. The State Food and Drug Administration has taken a big decision to keep children away from junk food around schools. According to the new instructions, the sale, distribution and promotion of junk food has been banned within 50 meters of any school in the state.
The meaning of this decision is not limited to school canteen only. Now the roadside stalls and shops outside the school will also come under this purview. That means, if any vendor sells samosa, vada pav, cold drink, chocolate or other similar things near the school gate, then action can be taken against him.
What things are banned?
According to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Munde, sale of foods containing high fat, trans fat and high sugar will not be allowed in schools and within their 50 meter radius. This includes deep fried foods, vada pav, samosa, sugary beverages, cold drinks, chocolate, ice cream and other junk foods. Apart from this, free distribution or advertisement of these food items will also not be possible in this area. The government says that the main objective of this initiative is to create a healthy eating environment around children.
Action will be taken against schools if rules are not followed
The most important thing about this order is that its responsibility will not be only on the shopkeepers or the cart operators. If any school is negligent in following this rule, then action can also be taken against its principal and school management. The Food and Drug Administration has made it clear that soon an inspection campaign will be started in the entire state. In such a situation, this is not just an advice or an awareness campaign, but a rule to be implemented.
Nearly 2 crore students will be affected
This decision will affect about 1.08 lakh schools and about 2 crore students of Maharashtra. This rule will apply equally to all government, aided, private and residential schools. Irrespective of which education board the school is affiliated to, like State Board, CBSE or AACSE, all have to follow these instructions.
Increasing obesity in children becomes a concern
The state government believes that increasing obesity and poor eating habits among children have now become a serious health challenge. For this reason, this step has been taken under the Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra campaign. Officials say that the habit of continuously eating junk food is increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle related diseases in children. If a healthy eating environment is created around schools, then positive changes can be brought about in the eating habits of children.
Rapidly increasing problem in India
Today, India is not only facing the challenge of malnutrition, but the problem of increasing obesity among children is also coming to the fore. According to the World Obesity Atlas 2026, more than 4.1 crore children aged 5 to 19 years in the country are overweight or obese. In this matter, India ranks second in the world after China. Experts believe that there are many reasons behind this. A large number of teenagers are not able to do enough physical activity. At the same time, many children do not get regular and balanced food. On the other hand, habits like processed snacks, sweet beverages, increasing screen time and less time for sports are making this problem more serious.
The challenge may increase in the coming years
Experts’ concerns are not limited to the current situation only. If the eating habits and lifestyle of children do not improve, the situation may become more serious in the coming years. It is estimated that by 2040, about 5.6 crore children in India may reach the overweight or obese category. Along with this, there may also be an increase in cases of diabetes, high blood pressure and liver related diseases at a young age.
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In view of this danger, the Maharashtra government has taken this step towards reducing the availability of junk food around schools. The government hopes that this will promote healthy eating habits among children and help in reducing the risk of lifestyle diseases in future.
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