New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Friday accorded its approval for the supply of fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in all states and union territories by 2024 in a phased manner.
The entire cost of rice fortification -- around Rs 2,700 crore per annum -- would be borne by the Centre as part of food subsidy till its full implementation up to June 2024.
The fortified rice would be available throughout the 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), a cabinet statement said.
Three phases are envisaged for full implementation of the initiative. Phase I will cover ICDS and PM POSHAN in India all over by March 2022, which is already under implementation.
In the Phase II, it will be applicable for all things under Phase I and TPDS and OWS in all Aspirational and High Burden Districts on stunting by March 2023. There are 291 such districts.
The Phase Ill will have aspects of Phase II plus cover the remaining districts of the country by March 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 Food Corporation of India 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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, in his address on the 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2021, made an announcement on Fortification of Rice so as to provide nutrition to every poor person of the country to overcome malnutrition and lack of essential nutrients in women, children, lactating mothers etc. as it poses major obstacles in their development.
Earlier, the Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on aFortification of Rice and its Distribution under Public Distribution System' was implemented for a period of three years beginning from 2019-20.
Eleven (11) states -- Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand successfully distributed the fortified rice in their identified districts (one district per state) under the pilot scheme.
Photo courtesy of IStock.