Lok Sabha Question No. 430 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Fortified Rice under PMGKAY
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shri Rajesh Verma, Smt. Shambhavi, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.430 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27TH NOVEMBER, 2024

## FORTIFIED RICE UNDER PMGKAY

430 SMT. SHAMBHAVI: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH  SHINDE: SHRI RAJESH VERMA: SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION witea wa, via at tIT#gfiq fB6WT +it be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the steps taken by the Government taken to monitor continuation  of the supply of free fortified rice under Pradhan Manta Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY);
- (b) whether this initiative  aligns with  the government's Anaemia Mukt  Bharat strategy and the expected impact on reducing malnutrition  and anaemia among vulnerable populations, particularly women and children and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the measures taken/being taken by the Government to ensure that fortified  rice reaches the most remote and underserved communities;
- (d) whether the Government plans to monitor effective implementation of financial outlay of extension of fortified  rice distribution  and if  so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether any studies or  assessments have been conducted on  the health benefits and outcomes of rice fortification  since its introduction and if so, the details thereoP

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF STATE  FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): Rice  Fortification Initiative was  scaled up  in  three  phases -  Phase 1 (2021-22)  covering Integrated Child  Development Scheme (ICDS)  &  PM-POSHAN,  Phase I1 (2022-23) covering ICDS, PM-POSHAN and 291 Aspirational &  High Burden districts under Targeted Public Distribution  System  (TPDS) and Phase III  (2023-24) covering ICDS, PM POSHAN and all districts under TPDS. Custom-milled rice  has been replaced with  fortified  rice  in  every scheme of  the Government and 100% coverage of distribution of  fortified  rice has been achieved by March,  2024.

(b): Food fortification is a globally recognized intervention to reduce the burden of micronutrient  deficiencies. It is one of the interventions under the strategy of Anemia mu:kt Bharat and accordingly Rice Fortification has been initiated by the Government of India. Fortified rice is being distributed under ICDS  and PM  POSHAN scheme ensuring coverage of women and children beneficiaries in the country.

(c): The Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)  being implemented in  all the States/UTs, on an all-India  basis, aims to  supplement the  food requirements of  up to  75% of  the rural and up to  50% of the urban population,  which  at Census 2011 comes to  81.35 crore persons. Other than PMGKAY,  the Government of  India has also been allocating foodgrains under Other Welfare Schemes including ICDS, PM-POSHAN, Welfare Institutions & Hostel Scheme, etc.

Under the Rice Fortification Initiative,  custom-milled rice has been replaced with  fortified rice in every scheme of the Government and 100% coverage of distribution of fortified rice has been achieved by March, 2024.

(d): The nnancial  implications of approximately Rs.17082 crore towards the continued supply of tbrtified  rice from July, 2024 to December, 2028 under the various schemes of the Government are envisaged to be met, as part of food subsidy, as a central sector initiative.

(e): NITI  Aa)'og has constituted a Core Committee to monitor the impact evaluation of the Rice Fortification  Initiative.  NITI Aayog  and ICMR-NIN  have taken up  study in  six  districts  in  six different states of  the country to  evaluate the impacts of  iron  fortified  rice supplied through the Public Distribution Systems (PDS) in India.

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