FOOD WASTE GOVERNANCE IN INDIA: A LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL STUDY OF CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS, STATUTORY MECHANISMS, COMPARATIVE MODELS AND EMERGING POLICY INNOVATIONS

One bite at a time, rotting grain piles up while bellies stay empty. Across Indian fields, harvests
swell yet vanish -spoiled by broken cold chains, choked roads, weak rails. What growsin plenty
fades before reaching hands that need it most.
Looking at laws around wasted food, this paper checks how parts of the constitution fit into the
picture - like Article 21, tied to the right to live with dignity. Instead of just listing rules, it
explores what Article 47 means when it tells the government to lift public health and eating
habits. Through another lens, attention turns to actual laws passed by Parliament, one being the
Food Safety and Standards Act from 2006. Alongside that law sitsthe 2016 rules about handling
garbage, especially solid waste, shaping how surplus food might be managed. Together these
pieces form part of an effort to slow down loss while pushing extra supplies toward those who
need them.
Looking at laws in France, the U.S., and the EU helps shape the study’s method - each region
uses clear systems like required food giving, shields for those who donate, alongside rules that
support reuse and recycling.⁴
Food waste has no specific law in India, the research shows. Instead, current rules work apart
from one another, missing teamwork. A unified system could link the constitution's ideals with
real-world enforcement methods. This mix might handle leftovers better by connecting policy,
laws, and action on the ground.