16-May-2023: Uttarakhand Shree Anna Mahotsav concluded in the Chief Hospitality of Union Agriculture Minister
The closing ceremony of the four-day long Uttarakhand Shree Anna (Millets) Festival took place today in Dehradun under the chief hospitality of the Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar. Shri Tomar said that Shree Anna has only benefits, especially our small farmers are greatly benefited by it. With the increase in their income from Shree Anna, the country's economy will get a boost.
Union Minister Shri Tomar said that consumption of Shree Anna is the means to stay healthy. Shree Anna is full of nutrition, which costs less to the farmers to grow, it does not require fertilizer, it can be cultivated easily even in low rainfall. In order to increase the income of small farmers, to keep people healthy and to give a respectable place to food grains in the country and the world, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi proposed it on the global stage through the United Nations, which was supported by 72 countries and the UN declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. The importance of Shri Anna is being spread through this year's event under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Modi. Agri-startups will increase with Shree Anna, employment opportunities will increase, production and productivity will increase, as well as processing and exports will also increase, which will boost the country's economy. Thus, Shree Anna has many dimensions.
Shri Tomar said that Prime Minister Shri. Modi has a vision to bring a radical change in the standard of living of the poor including making toilets in their homes, providing electricity, building Pradhanmantri Awas, progress of poor women through self-help groups. The country's economy should increase, development should increase, industries should increase, Make in India, Startup India, Skill India and our country should not only be powerful, but should become such a superpower that people are forced to accept India's iron in the whole world. This type of multidimensional thinking belongs to the Prime Minister. Shri Tomar said that as a result of Prime Minister's efficiency, vision and hard work, India's reputation is increasing in the whole world. Regardless of whether someone agrees with us or not, when it is discussed on any global platform, when it comes to the economy, then the economists of the world are forced to say that in the coming tomorrow, the world is going to move forward rapidly. If there is any economy, then it is India. It is a matter of great fortune and pride for us.
Shri Tomar said that the Prime Minister has left no stone unturned to make the specialty of India to the specialty of the world. Yoga is the ancient method of India, which was gradually becoming extinct, which Swami Ramdev campaigned to make it a place in every house, while Prime Minister Shri Modi propounded the characteristics of Yoga in the United Nations and urged the whole world to celebrate Yoga Day, through which the Indian Yoga style has resonated all over the world today. Yoga is necessary to stay healthy. Mr. Tomar said that ever since the formation of the government at the Center under the leadership of Mr. Modi, he has consistently given priority to the agriculture sector. In the year 2014, the budget of agriculture was about 21 thousand crore rupees, which has increased about 1.25 lakh crore rupees today. That is, there has been an increase of more than five times. For income support to small farmers, the Center has deposited Rs 2.40 lakh crore in the bank accounts of crores of farmers through the PM-Kisan scheme. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture has taken steps and increased the allocation of funds in every direction, including the protection cover for the farmers insured by the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, increase in food grain productivity, emphasis on organic and natural farming. Shri Tomar said that the Devbhoomi of Uttarakhand covered with diverse climate is very favorable for agriculture. For the last five years, the Government of Uttarakhand is playing a leading role in the proper implementation of the schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture in Uttarakhand and in making their benefits available to the farmers. May Uttarakhand move forward in every field of agriculture, wherever the central government is needed, the Government of India including the Prime Minister will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the Devbhoomi.
4-May-2023: Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya reviews ‘Food Street Project’ to develop 100 Healthy and Hygienic Food Streets across the country
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the ‘Food Street Project’ to develop 100 healthy and hygienic food streets across the country with senior officers of Health Ministry and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The aim of this project is to encourage safe and healthy food practices among food businesses and community members, thus, reducing foodborne illnesses and improving the overall health outcomes.
To operationalize the food streets, the National Health Mission (NHM) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide an assistance of Rs. 1 crore per food street as a pilot project to support 100 such food streets at different locations across the country. The grant will be routed under NHM, in the ratio of 60:40 or 90:10, with the condition that branding of these food streets will be done as per FSSAI guidelines.
The financial assistance would be provided for activities such as provision of safe drinking water, hand washing, toilet facilities, tiled flooring of common areas, appropriate liquid & solid waste disposal, provision of dustbins, using billboards, façade preparation and signage of permanent nature, common storage space, lighting, specialized carts for specific type of trades, branding etc.
The initiative will be implemented through NHM in convergence with Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), apart from FSSAI’s technical support. The technical assistance will include assistance in designing of food streets, preparation of an SOP and providing training under Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) protocol.
Street food has been an integral part of the Indian food culture and has played an immense role in sustaining and shaping the Indian food economy. It is not only a source of affordable and delicious food for millions of Indians but also a major contributor to the country's economic growth. With rapid urbanization, street food hubs have led to an easy access to food but food safety and hygiene at these hubs remain a matter of concern.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken various steps to improve the hygiene and food safety standards protocols for food street hubs. These initiatives include training of food handlers, independent third-party audits, and certification under Clean Street Food Hub initiative of the Eat Right India movement.
24-Apr-2023: India crosses a significant milestone for The National Tele Mental Health Programme of India
In a significant achievement towards providing quality mental healthcare for all across the country, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) helpline of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has reached a milestone by receiving over 100,000 calls since its launch in October 2022.
The National Tele Mental Health Programme of India was inaugurated on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day on 10th October 2022. Since its inception, the service has aimed to create a digital mental health ecosystem that has provided a boost to the existing mental healthcare services. An urgent need was felt for a digital mental health network in the wake of COVID and Tele-MANAS aimed to provide the same by giving access to the mental healthcare services 24X7 to even in the remotest part of the country. These services are available for all individuals free-of-cost through a toll-free number 14416 / 1800-89-14416.
The nation-wide service, an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India successfully completed its first 6 months of functioning, with currently over 38 functional Tele MANAS Cells spread across 27 States and UTs, providing mental health services in over 20 languages and over 1600 trained counsellors running the first-line services. Most of the calls received at Tele MANAS thus far, are from callers calling regarding sadness of mood, stress related calls, exam related anxiety, domestic disturbances and calls regarding sleep disturbances.
Tele MANAS initiative which was announced by Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in the Union budget 2022-23 as an acknowledgement to the mental health crisis in the country, is a novel initiative to enable people to seek support for their mental health issues while maintaining anonymity of the callers, thereby reducing the stigma generally surrounding mental health issues.
The National Tele Mental Health Programme of India focusses on building the mental health workforce of the nation through capacity building initiatives whilst simultaneously ensuring that mental health services can reach free of cost to every household and every individual, targeting the most vulnerable and unreached sections of society that may otherwise have gone unnoticed. With Tele MANAS reaching the 1 lakh mark in 6 months, it turns a new leaf in achieving its ultimate aim of building a robust digital mental health network throughout India.