Lok Sabha Question No. 2071 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Fortified Rice under ICDS
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Balak Nath

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2071

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2022

## FORTIFIED RICE UNDER ICDS

2071.  SHRI RANJEET SINGH HINDURAO NAIK NIMBALKAR: SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE: SHRI BALAK NATH:

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

- (a) the number of districts in which fortified rice is being distributed under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme- State/UT wise;
- (b) whether  Government  has  any  mechanism  for  monitoring  of  health  development  of children in such districts and if so, the outcome thereof; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to distribute 100 percent fortified rice in aspirational and heavy burdened districts?

## ANSWER

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

(a) Under  Wheat  based  Nutrition  Programme  of  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0 (erstwhile  Integrated  Child  Development  scheme),  fortified  rice  is  allocated  to  all  States/UTs across the country.

Further, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN)(erstwhile Mid Day Meal) is  an  on-going  Centrally-Sponsored  Scheme  which  covers  all  school  children  studying  in Balvatika  and  classes  I-VIII  of  Government   and  Government-aided  schools.  Government  of India has approved Centrally sponsored pilot scheme on 'Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System on 14.02.2019 for a period of three years beginning 2019-20. M/o  Consumer  Affairs  and  Food  and  Public  Distribution  is  the  Nodal  Ministry  in  the  matter. DoSE&L issued instructions to all the States/UTs to use fortified rice wherever supplied by Food Corporation of India (FCI). As per information received, fortified rice is distributed/consumed in all districts across the country subject to availability of fortified rice.

(b)       A robust ICT enabled platform named as 'Poshan Tracker' management application has been launched which provides a view of the activities at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC), service deliveries of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and beneficiary management for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. The application aims to improve governance with regard to real time  monitoring  and  provisioning  of  supplementary  nutrition  for  prompt  supervisions  and management of services.  Further,  for  the  first  time,  Anganwadi  workers  have  been  provided with  11.30  lakh  smart  phones.  Besides,  to  promote  regular  growth  monitoring,  11.94  lakh Growth  Monitoring  Devices  (Infantometer,  Stadiometer,  Weighing  Scale  for  Infants  and Weighing Scale for Mother and Child) have been procured by States/UTs under the Abhiyaan.

(c)        Under  Wheat  based  Nutrition  Programme  of  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0 (erstwhile Integrated Child Development scheme), from the third quarter onwards of FY 202122, 100 percent fortified Rice is being distributed to all the States/UTs across the country which also includes aspirational and heavy burdened districts as well.

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