Lok Sabha Question No. 1374 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Fortification of Rice and its Distribution
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak

## GOVERNMEilT  OF INDIA

## DEPARTMENT  OF FOOD A]{D PUBLTC  DISTRIBUTIOII

## MtNtsTRy  oF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD &  puBl.tc  DISTRTBUTION ]

LOX SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTTON  NO. {374 ?o BE AilSWERED (,1{  27fH  tt  LYr 2c,21

## FORTIFICATION  OF RICE AND ITS DISTRIBUTIO}|

1374.

SHRIMATI RAKSHA  NIKHIL ](HADSE: SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

Will the Minisrer of  GON$UMER AFFA|RS,  FOOD  AND  pUBLtC DlsTRtBuTtoN  r,'ilr*r arrd, ara-q aitr grffi*o efmrr, ,i+ o"-rr""="o  ,o state:

- (a)  whether  the review of the Centrally sponsored  pitot  scheme on
- "Fortification  of Race & its Distribution,r  Jystem has been taunched  for three yeais ln 2Oi9-2Oi
- (b)  if so, the detairs of area which this pitot scheme has been taunched,
- and the effectiveness  studied during two yearc; anO
- (c)  whether Govemment proposes  to expand this scheme further towards nutritionar security  and to fight anaemia and Matnu*,ro, -in ,n" country, if so, the detaits thereof,ll

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMEilT  Al{D GoNSUMER AFFA|RS,  FOOD &  puBLlC  DtsTRtBUTtON (sADHVt  ilIRANJAN  JYOTI)

(a) & (b): To address anaemia  and micro-nutrient  deficiency  in the country,  Govemment  of lndia approved  Gentraly  sponsored  pitot gcheme on "Fo'tification  of Rice & its Distribution  under  pubric  Distribution system" for a period  of 3 years  beginning  rn 201g-20  with totar outtay of Rs 174'64 Gr. The scheme  is funded  by the Government  of rndia in the ratao of 9o:{o in respect of North-Eastern,  Hi[y and rstand states and in the ratio of 75:25 in respect of the rest of the states. The  pirot  scheme focuses on ,5 districts across  i 5 statesr preferabty  { district per  state. Fifteen state Governments i.e Andhra  pradesh,  Kerala,  Karnataka,  Maharashtra,  Odisha, Gujarat,  Uttar  pradesh,  Assam, Tamil Nadu, Tetangana, puniab, Ghhattisgarh,  Jharkhand,  uttarakhand&  Madhya  pradesh  have consented and identified their respective  Districts ({ Distract per  state) for implementation of the  pitot  Scheme.

So far, six states namety  Andhra  pradesh,  Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamir adu, Ghhattisgarh  & Uttar  pradesh  have statted distribution  of fortified  rice under  the  pirot  scheme  in their serected  districts. Further, four more States have compteted  the requisite  processes  to start distribution  of fortified rice under  the  pitot  scheme. The Government  of Maharashtra  through its Deveropment  pattner  had conducted an evatuation study regarding  effectiveness  of Rice Fortification  and it has been found  it to be useful. The  slow.p":: "f distribution  by the States is primarily  due to ress avairabirity Fortiried  Rice Kerner  lrRK;, r|"ncing  infrastructure  and other related  issues. As on date, nine States/llT have constituted  steering Gommittee under the chairmanship  of respective  chief $ecretary ror better coordination/monitoring  and effectave implementation  of the  pitot  scheme in the state, as advised  by Government.

Being  a new initiative,  the Government  has taken steps to buitd an ecosystem for suppry  of fortified  rice under the scheme.  tmprementataon requires  all necessary  infrastructure  rike brending of nonnat rice with FRI(, which contains micronutrients.  Meetings rerated  to FRK ayaitabatity, blending  infrastructure,  standardization  of testing/quatity  and pa*icipation of ail stakehorders/industry-prayers/research institutes/Devetopment Partners  in the fortified  rice ecosystem  has been organized.  with continuous  inten$e and sustained  effort, the avairabirity  of FRK has now gone  up from approximatety  7000 MT to 50000 MT. The Rice Mirs which have blending  capacity for fortified  rice have been increased  to 3292 from initially less than 5O.

(c): with the graduar  strengthening  of the ecosystem  for production  and distribution  of fortified rice as stated above, FGt is atso involved in the supply chain management.ot  the procurement  & suppry  of fortified rice for lntegrated  Ghitd Devetopment  Service (tcDS)  &MiJ Oay Meat (MDM) schemes. so far, FGt has procured  6.60 LMT of fortified rice.