Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 14 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while chairing a review meeting of the Department of Health Safety and Regulation, stated that the government would formulate a State Nutrition Policy to ensure the availability of balanced and nutritious food for all vulnerable groups, including children, adolescent girls, and expectant and lactating mothers.
The Chief Minister said that the composite testing laboratory at Kandaghat would be upgraded with world-class, high-end technology to ensure precise analysis and greater efficiency. To ensure the quality and timely testing of food items, regional laboratories would be established in the first phase at Baddi, Mandi, Kangra and Shimla. In the second phase, similar laboratories would be set up in all districts of the state.
He further added that nutritional surveillance in the state would be strengthened. Food items would be tested, and their nutritional content would be profiled and mapped. The department has been directed to carry out regular testing of food provided under schemes such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), Anganwadi services and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
He said that mobile vans would be used for testing, awareness generation, capacity building and training so that the department's outreach and effectiveness can be expanded across all districts.
To make departmental functioning more efficient and tChief Minister directed the use of modern information technology and the complete digitisation of all processes. He instructed the department to develop a state portal for the digital execution of all activities, including food sample collection and test results.
Additionally, a state nutrition database would also be created.
The Chief Minister expressed concern that deficiencies in nutritional content and the presence of pesticides in food were contributing to an increase in diseases. He said that the state government was seriously addressing both issues and was working on effective solutions. In this context, he added that the government was promoting natural farming and encouraging farmers by providing benefits under various schemes.
He said that the state government was continuously strengthening the health sector. World-class standards were being adopted in medical education, ICUs were being established in every medical college, and hospitals were ensuring a global-standard doctor-patient ratio.
Director of DDTG Nipun Jindal, Special Secretary (Health) Ashwani Sharma, Director of Health Safety and Regulation Jitendra Sanjta and other senior officers were present in the meeting.