Lok Sabha Question No. 3138 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-06
Subject: Recommended Dietary Allowance
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Rita Bahuguna Joshi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3138

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2019

## RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE

## 3138.  SHRIMATI RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken initiatives for addition of one or more micro-nutrients  to  food  for  meeting  the  Recommended  Dietary  Allowance (RDA) of micronutrients;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the initiatives taken by the Government for sensitizing the State/UT Government  about  the benefits of addition of micronutrients; and
- (c) the challenges faced by the State/ UT Government in adoption of fortification in ICDS, MDMS and PDS?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) The  addition  of  micronutrients  to  food,  i.e.,  food  fortification  is  one  of  the strategies  to  address  micronutrient  deficiencies  in  addition  to  dietary  diversification and micronutrient supplementation. In order to reduce the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies,  emphasis  is  given  to  strategies  through  the  Schemes/programmes implemented by the various departments/ministries, which include iron and folic acid supplementation,  calcium  supplementation,  Vitamin-A  supplementation,  mandatory use  of  iodized  salt  and  nutrition  education  to  promote  the  use  of  healthy  balanced diets  through  dietary diversification. Additionally, Ministry has  advised  all  the States/UTs to ensure use of relevant fortified food articles (wherever supplied) in the administration of the Supplementary Nutrition Programme.

Further,  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  has  notified Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018, which specifies standards for fortification of staple foods such as wheat, rice, maida ( with Iron, Folic Acid and Vitamin B 12) , Salt (with Iron and Iodine), and Oil and Milk (with Vitamin A and Vitamin D). These standards specify minimum  and  maximum  levels of micronutrients  which  can  be  added  to  these  staples.  The  levels  of  addition  of micronutrients have been kept such as to provide 30%-50% of Recommended Daily Allowance of micronutrients.

- (b) FSSAI has set up Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC) as a resource and support centre, which provides requisite support in the form providing awareness material, list of pre-mix suppliers and technical support to States/Industry, etc.  FFRC is a part of many technical groups both at the State level and CII-Nutrition Committee to ensure support to the State and the Food Industry.
- (c) Some  of  the  challenges  faced  by  the  States/UTs  are  availability  of  fortified grains, i.e., Rice and Wheat, through Food Corporation of India for supply in ICDS and MDM; supply chain management issues to meet the demand of fortified food items through  open  market  and  the  incremental  cost  of  fortification  to  be  borne  by  the States.

*******