Lok Sabha Question No. 5083 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Distribution of Fortified Rice
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Y S Avinash Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5083

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2ND APRIL, 2025

## DISTRIBUTION OF FORTIFIED RICE

5083. SHRI Y S AVTNASH REDDY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the awareness campaigns implemented to encourage the consumption of fortified  rice, highlighting  the involvement of various stakeholders, State-wise; and
- (b) the details and the number of  districts covered and the quantities of  fortified  rice distributed under  the  Targeted Public  Distribution  System (TPDS),  Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and the Prime Minister  Poshan Shakti Nirman  (PM-POSHAN) Scheme across different  districts?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): To educate people about the benefits of fortified  rice, 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, Man(IIa, Barwani) and Kerala (Wayanad) were conducted with  the involvement  of DFPD, FCI  and other stakeholders such as Field  Experts including 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, FSS AI  had also issued an advisory to  the Commissioners of  Food Safety of  all States/UTs to  conduct special campaigns among beneficiaries of  the  Public  Distribution System (PDS) to raise awareness about the nutritional benefits of fortified  rice.

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

A  provision of Administrative/Contingency  Cost which inter-alia includes Information, Education, Communication (IEC)  and Capacity Building  to the tune of  Rs. 5.00 lakh per district was made, which was to  be borne by  the Government of  India, during the implementation of rice fortification initiative in Phase-II and Phase-III.

(b): The Rice Fortification Initiative  was implemented  in  a phased manner, with  the target of achieving 100% Rice distribution/lining  in  all  central Government schemes by  2024. The phase-wise implementation  status is as under;

- Phase 1  (2021-22):  Covered Integrated Child  Development Services (ICDS)  and Pradhan Mantri  Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN), and nearly 17.51 LMT  of fortified  rice was lifted  during the phase.
- Phase I1 (2022-23): Phase I  plus Targeted Public Distribution (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (C)WS) in 291 aspirational and high-burden districts, with  nearly 136 L.MT  of  fortified rice  was  lifted during  the  phase.
- Phase III  (2023-24): Phase II plus. the remaining districts of the country, with nearly 322 LM'F of fortified rice was lifted/distributed during the phase.

As of March 2024, all schemes replaced custom-milled rice with  fortified rice across the country .

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