0 Comment(s) *
* The moderation of comments is automated and not cleared manually by indianexpress.com.
In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the fortification of rice distributed under various government schemes, including the public distribution system (PDS) and midday meals in schools, by 2024. (Representational/File) The Union Cabinet on Friday announced its approval of supply of fortified rice across three phases throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN erstwhile Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)] and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of Centre and state government by 2024.
FCI and state agencies have already procured 88.65 LMT of fortified rice for supply and distribution, union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said at a press conference on Friday.
The entire cost of rice fortification which is estimated at around Rs. 2,700 crore per annum would be borne by the Centre as part of food subsidy till its full implementation till June, 2024.
“As part of vigorous implementation efforts, the Department of Food and Public distribution has been coordinating all ecosystem related activities with all relevant stakeholders like State Government / UT, line Ministries/Department, Development Partners, Industries, Research Institutes etc. The FCI and State Agencies are already engaged in procurement of fortified rice and so far nearly 88.65 LMT of fortified rice has been procured for the supply and distribution,” the cabinet said in a statement.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) defines fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.
In other words, rice fortification is a process of adding micronutrients to regular rice. The micronutrients are added keeping in mind dietary requirements.
Various technologies are available for rice fortification, such as coating and dusting. For rice fortification in India, ‘extrusion’ is considered to be the best technology. This involves the production of fortified rice kernels (FRKs) from a mixture using an extruder machine.
In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the fortification of rice distributed under various government schemes, including the public distribution system (PDS) and midday meals in schools, by 2024.
Thakur said in the first phase, fortified rice is being distributed under ICDS and PM Poshan programmes. The second phase will cover targeted public distribution system (TPDS) and other welfare schemes in all aspirational and high-burden stunting districts by March 2023.
In the final phase, all remaining districts will be covered by March 2024, he added.
The Union Cabinet also approved the continuation of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), till March 2023.
“The total budgeted expenditure of Rs.2000+ crore shall be incurred in the process of the establishment and supporting the beneficiaries.
The Mission has been set up under the NITI Aayog, in accordance with the Hon’ble Finance Minister’s declaration in the 2015 Budget Speech. The objectives of the AIM are to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country via interventions at school, university, research institutions, MSME and industry levels. The AIM has focused on both infrastructure creation and institution building,” the Cabinet statement said.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
