On Tuesday, a top food ministry official stated the government will finish rice fortification by March 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his 2021 Independence Day speech that government initiatives will provide fortified grains by 2024.
In October 2021, a gradual distribution of fortified rice with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 was begun to combat anemia in children and women.
In April 2022, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved fortified rice for the Public Distribution System (PDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN (formerly the Mid-Day Meal Scheme), and other welfare programs in all states and UTs by 2024.
The Center will pay Rs 2,700 crore for rice fortification till June 2024, when it will be completely implemented. In March 2024, we planned to completely adopt strengthened PDS rice. Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra told reporters here that we are optimistically on track to accomplish the aim before then considering the distribution rate. The whole PDS (rice) will be fortified in the coming months.
He stated 12 lakh tonnes of the Food Corporation of India (FCI)’s 240 lakh tonnes of rice was unfortified today. Chopra said that sickle cell anemia and thalassemia patients can safely eat enriched rice. He said that PDS-enhanced rice provides just 7 mg of iron per day, while the body can handle 40–45 mg.
The secretary said the government will consider changing the warning that enriched rice may harm sickle cell anemia and thalassemia patients after receiving fresh information. Chopra claimed 90 countries fortify food globally. Department of Food and Public Distribution held a one-day nationwide rice fortification seminar.
“We are on track to achieve the target of 100% fortified rice distribution across all rice-consuming districts in the country,” Chopra said the conference. The proposal called for India’s ICDS and PM POSHAN coverage by March 2022. Under the second phase, PDS and other welfare program users in all 291 stunting-aspirational and high-burden districts were to be included by March 2023.
The third phase covered all remaining districts by March 2024. Chopra announced in April that 269 districts in 27 states had started distributing fortified rice through PDS, achieving the 100% Phase II objective by March 2023.
The government has also devised Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) to assure QA and QC in fortified rice and FRK manufacture and distribution. The food regulator FSSAI has produced FRK and Pre-mix standards and instructed stakeholders to rapidly operationalize them.
Conclusion:-
A top food ministry official said the Indian government will finish rice fortification by March 2024. In October 2021, Narendra Modi announced a proposal to offer micronutrient-fortified rice to children and mothers with anemia. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs authorized fortified rice for the Public Distribution System (PDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), PM POSHAN, and other welfare programs in April 2022. The Center would pay Rs 2,700 crore for rice fortification until June 2024. The government is hopeful about meeting the goal before then, with just 12 lakh tonnes of the Food Corporation of India’s 240 lakh tonnes of rice unfortified. The government will also explore changing the warning that enriched rice may harm sickle cell anemia and thalassemia patients. The ministry has devised Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) to provide quality assurance and control in fortified rice and FRK production and distribution.
