Indian state of Maharashtra bans junk food in school canteens

The western Indian state of Maharashtra has become the first in the country to impose a ban on sale of junk food in school canteens.

A Maharashtra government resolution (GR) said that potato chips, noodles, carbonated soft drinks, pizzas, burgers, cakes, biscuits, buns, pastries, among others can't be sold in the canteens of government schools across the state.

"The amount of sugar, salt and fat in HFSS (high in fat, salt and sugar) foods and the lack of nutrients is causing obesity and other ailments among school-going children, which is affecting their academic performance and overall well-being. To curb this, junk food items mentioned in the GR need to be banned from school canteens," the GR said.

The decision to ban junk food in school canteens came in the wake of recommendations of a panel formed by the Indian Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, officials said Tuesday.

The ban came a year after another state, Kerala in the south, introduced a "fat tax" on burgers, pizzas, doughnuts and tacos served in branded restaurants. The 14.5 percent tax was aimed at making people more conscious about food choices and curbing obesity, the state government had said.

"This is more of a preventive measure as Kerala's food habits are changing dramatically. People are eating a lot of junk food and rejecting traditional food," Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac had then said. Endit