Drive against obesity takes shape

Gandhinagar: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a call for an obesity-free India, the state govt led by chief minister Bhupendra Patel has expeditiously formed two high-level committees to undertake the initiative of ‘Healthy Gujarat, Obesity-free Gujarat'.
The general administration department (GAD) on Wednesday issued a govt resolution (GR) establishing two high-level committees — a steering committee headed by the chief minister and an executive committee headed by the chief secretary.
The steering committee shall comprise 19 members including senior ministers and secretaries while the executive committee shall include 19 senior IAS officers. Both panels shall systematically review departmental activities aimed at reducing obesity amongst citizens.
Through the GR, GAD has instructed all department secretaries to emphasise obesity reduction amongst their respective department personnel. It has authorised the industries and mines department to collaborate with fit industry leaders to serve as brand ambassadors of fit Gujarat, and implement obesity reduction initiatives in their respective industrial sectors and spheres of influence.
The state govt has allocated specific tasks to govt departments including urban development, home, industries and mines, sports, youth and cultural department, health and family welfare, women and child development, information and broadcasting, GAD, education, forest and environment, agriculture and farmers welfare among others to execute targeted obesity reduction programmes.