EATSMART CITIES CHALLENGE AND TRANSPORT 4 ALL CHALLENGE

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• Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the EatSmart Cities Challenge and Transport 4 All Challenge.
• The challenges aim at creating an environment of right food practices and habits and to make public transport safe, affordable, comfortable, and reliable.

Important points:

EatSmart Cities Challenge:

• The EatSmart Cities Challenge is envisioned as a competition among cities to recognize their efforts in adopting and scaling up various initiatives under Eat Right India.
• The challenge is open to all Smart Cities, capital cities of States /UTs, and cities with a population of more than 5 lakh.
• It aims to motivate Smart Cities to develop a plan that supports a healthy, safe and sustainable food environment supported by institutional, physical, social, and economic infrastructure along with the application of ‘smart’ solutions to combat food related issues.

Significance

The challenge has a potential to create social and behavioural change towards food safety, hygiene and nutrition.
Other Related initiatives:

1. Limit TFA:Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has capped the amount of trans fatty acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022 from the current permissible limit of 5% through an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations 2011.
2. ‘Raman 1.0’: A new-age, hand-held battery operated device to perform rapid detection (in less than 1 minute) of economically driven adulteration in edible oils, fats and ghee.
3. Food Safety Magic Box: This do-it-yourself food testing kit comprises a manual and equipment to check for food adulterants, which school children can use in their classroom laboratories.
4. Food Safety Mitra scheme: It aims to support small and medium-scale food businesses so as to comply with the food safety laws and will facilitate them with the licensing and registration process, hygiene ratings and training programme.
5. Eat Right Mela: It is an outreach activity for citizens to nudge them towards eating right. It is organised to make citizens aware of the health and nutrition benefits of different types of food.

Transport 4 All Challenge:

About:

• The initiative has been launched in collaboration with The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and aims to bring together cities, citizen groups, and start-ups to develop solutions that improve public transport.
• ITDP is a non-governmental non-profit organization that focuses on developing bus rapid transit systems, promoting biking, walking, and non-motorized transport, and improving private bus operators margins.
• The Transport 4 All Digital Innovation Challenge Aims to develop digital solutions that will make public transport safe, affordable, comfortable, and reliable for all.

Significance

• COVID-19 has brought the entire world to a halt with transport being one of the worst-hit sectors. Transport 4 All Digital Innovation Challenge has the potential to support cities to recover from this mobility crisis.
• It will support the cities and start-ups all over the country to move towards digital transformation in urban mobility.
• National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP): The plan aims to achieve national fuel security by promoting hybrid and electric vehicles in the country
• Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric vehicles in India (FAME India): This scheme supports hybrid/electric vehicles market development and manufacturing ecosystem.
• Mass Rapid Transit/ Transport Systems (MRTS): In 2017, the government introduced the new Metro Policy which aims to improve collaborations, standardising norms, financing and creating a procurement mechanism so that the projects can be implemented effectively.
• Personal Rapid Transit System (PRT): It is a transport mode combining small automated vehicles, known as pods, operating on a network of specially built guideways.
• Green Urban Mobility Initiative: The Indian government launched the Green Urban Mobility Initiative (GUMI) to boost green and sustainable alternatives under the Smart Cities Mission.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES ,MINT