Lok Sabha Question No. 650 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Schemes for Distribution of Fortified Rice
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: P.P. Chaudhary, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, C. R. Patil, Anurag Sharma, Sangamlal Kadedin Gupta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## INISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.650 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6TH DECEMBER, 2023

## SCHEMES FOR DISTRIBUTION  OF FORTIFIED RICE

650.  SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI:

SHRI CaRn PATI L:

SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD  AND PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTION 7qqttn wi&,  @rush tIT#qfR+ f+twr IHt be pleased  to state:

- (a) the programmes, schemes and missions under which the Government
- is undertaking the distribution  of fortified  rice;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to educate people about the
- benefits of fortified  rice;
- (c) whether  the  Government has formulated any guidelines for  quality
- control on the production and distribution of fortified rice;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the number of districts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and
- Odisha that  are being covered  under the  Rice Fortification  Programme?

## ANSWER

INISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRSI FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a): Government of  India has approved the supply of  fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution  System (TPDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan  Shakti Nirman (PM  POSHAN)  Scheme and Integrated Child Development Services  (ICDS) Scheme under  the  National  Food Security Act (NFSA) and in Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) which include inter-alia Schemes for Adolescent Girl (SAG),  Annapurna Scheme, Welfare Institutions and Hostels Scheme across the country in a phased manner.

(b): Various State  Governments were requested to  organize programmes to create awareness on benefits of fortified rice and its  positive impact on nutritional security in  the  tribal areas of  the country. Accordingly, workshops/seminars in 9 districts having tribal population -  in the States of Gujarat (Vapi), Maharashtra (Nashik and Nandurbar), Chhattisgarh (Kanker), Jharkhand (East Singhbhum), Madhya Pradesh (Shahdol, Mandla, Barwani) and Kerala (Wayanad) were conducted  with  the  participation  of DFPD,  Fei and other stakeholders such as Field Experts, Medical Professionals, members of  Media, prominent personalities, local  leaders and Development Partners. Besides, various workshops were held at Divisional/Regional Office level by FCI to sensitize the stakeholders about the  nutrition related benefits of fortified  rice. Further, FSSAI has also issued advisory to  Commissioners of Food Safety of  all  States/UTs to  run special campaigns among the beneficiaries of Public Distribution System (PDS) to create awareness about the nutritional benefits of the fortified rice

IEC materials  were  also  shared  by  this  Department  with  States/UTs for their  dissemination for spreading awareness about it.

FSSAI has also developed and released various IEC materials for the fortified foods, which are available in  Hindi and English languages at https://fortification.fssai.gov.in/media-gallery.

A provision of Administrative/Contingency Cost  which inter-alia includes Information, Education, Communication  (IEC)  and  Capacity Building to the tune of Rs. 5,OO lakh per district  has been made.

(c) and (d): Based on  the  protocols/standards/Standard Operating Procedures notined/formulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of  India (FSSAI) and Bureau of  Indian standards (BIS) and consultations with  various stakeholders in order to maintain the quality standards & to provide best  quality  fortified  rice  to  the  eligible  beneficiaries, the "Operational Guidelines on Quality Control for  Fortified  Rice Kernels (FRK) and  Fortified Rice  (FR)'  has  been  formulated and  issued  on  13.12.2022. Besides this, FSSAI has also undertaken the following steps in this regard:-

- FSSAI has formulated guidelines on sampling of Fortified Rice (FR), Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) and Vitamin Mineral Premix for FRKa
- FSSAI  has notified 42 laboratories for testing of Fortified Rice,  21 laboratories for  testing  of  Fortified Rice Kernel and IO laboratories for Vitamin-Mineral Premix  for  FRK.

FSSAI had conducted a surveillance drive with  respect to  Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) manufacturers. Based on the outputs of the surveillance drive, an enforcement drive for lifting  FRK samples has been initiated  vide letter  dated  11 .08.2023.

(e): Rajasthan is a wheat  consuming State and as such, fortified  rice is not distributed in  the  State under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). 33 districts of Gujarat, 75 Districts of  Uttar Pradesh and 30 districts of Odisha are implementing the rice fortification initiative.

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