PUNJAB NEWS : Reinforcing CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s vision of providing safe and nutritious food to all residents, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Wednesday urged the public to make full use of the ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ programme, which has now been rolled out across every district in the state.
These mobile vans are specially designed to test food items for adulteration and are equipped to check everyday consumables like milk, paneer, water, and more.
“These vans are an essential weapon in our mission to eliminate food adulteration. I encourage everyone to get their food items tested,” the Health Minister said during a press briefing held at Punjab Bhawan under the campaign slogan, “If it’s not safe, it’s not food.” He was joined by Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, FDA Commissioner Dilraj Singh, Director Labs Ravneet Kaur, and Joint Commissioner Food Safety Dr. Amit Joshi.
Dr. Singh shared that since the formation of the current government under CM Mann, the department has collected 18,559 enforcement samples and 12,178 surveillance samples. Moreover, over 13,000 samples have already been tested through the ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ vans, primarily covering items like paneer, milk, ghee, spices, fruits, vegetables, khoa, and sweets.
He directed the FDA to maximize the use of these vans and to focus on spreading awareness, especially among students. He also called for complete transparency in implementation of departmental policies. Emphasizing the importance of pure food, he said, “Only Shudh Ann (pure food) leads to Shudh Mann (pure mind) and Swasth Tann (healthy body).”
Reaffirming zero tolerance for adulteration, Dr. Singh warned that strict legal action will be taken against violators. He also mentioned that courts have issued up to six months of imprisonment and fines in 145 such cases over the past five years.
Highlighting regulatory efforts, he said that over 3.17 lakh food business licenses and registrations have been granted so far. He appealed to all Food Business Operators (FBOs), including street vendors, to register with the Food and Drug Administration.
Dr. Singh also underlined the importance of nutrition awareness and encouraged the FDA to ramp up educational campaigns around healthy eating and government-led health initiatives. He urged citizens to embrace the motto “Eat Right, Stay Healthy” to help build a healthier Punjab.
In addition, he noted that the FDA has conducted around 500 awareness camps, training more than 55,000 individuals on hygiene and food safety. The state has also hosted 13 ‘Eat Right Melas’ over the past three years and earned 150 certifications for initiatives such as Eat Right Campuses, Mandis, and Street Food Hubs.