Samosa, bhajia and kachori listed as "nutritious" in Maharashtra government canteen order

The Maharashtra government has placed fried snacks such as samosa, bhajia and kachori on the list of nutritious and healthy food in its canteen menus. The General Administration Department issued a Government Resolution (GR) on November 5 approving 54 additional food items for the canteens at Mantralaya, Vidhan Bhavan and Konkan Bhavan. These canteens come under the department's control.

What stands out is not only that popular fried snacks are included, but that the order officially describes them as "nutritious and healthy food". Clause 1 of the order states clearly that all the dishes in its appendix are nutritious and healthy. The list includes cocktail samosa, moong dal bhajia, Punjabi samosa and bread pakoda. Vidarbha also finds a place: Shegaon kachori is priced at Rs 30 for employees and Rs 35 for officers.

Besides fried snacks, cheese sandwich, vegetable potato shots, aloo tikki, pav bhaji and potato roll are also on the approved list.

The list also has several options that are genuinely nutritious, including boiled mixed pulses, boiled groundnuts, banana, boiled eggs, vegetable poha, dalia upma and sprouted pulses upma. Spinach, moong and mixed vegetable idli appear alongside steamed coriander vadi.

The November 5 order follows a September 2 directive from the Public Health Department. That directive called for balanced and healthy food in the snacks and meals served at government and semi-government meetings, government events and canteens. The latest order turns that policy into a fixed menu and rate card.

The canteens have been asked to maintain nutritional quality, taste, high standards and cleanliness. The new dishes will not replace existing ones but will be added to them. The approved rates have taken effect from the date of the order. Prices may be revised later in view of fluctuations in market rates.

Health experts generally advise eating less food that is heavily fried and high in calories. The question is not whether samosas and pakodas are available in the canteen, but that they have been placed in a category the government calls healthy and nutritious. It is also unclear whether the Public Health Department will recommend this same menu to ordinary citizens as a healthy lifestyle.