Lok Sabha Question No. 4269 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Fortification of Grains, Cereals and Pulses
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Navaskani K, Shri Selvam G, Shri C N Annadurai

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4269

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 26TH MARCH, 2025

## FORTIFICATION  OF GRAINS, CEREALS AND PULSES

4269. SHRI C N ANNADURAI:

SHRI NAVASKANI K:

SHRI SELVAM G:

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

- (a) whether the Government is providing fortified  grains, cereals and pulses through the Public Distribution System (PDS);
- (b) if  so, the details of the fortified  food variants being supplied including the types of nutrients added;
- (c) the States and Union  Territories  where fortified grains, cereals and pulses are currently being distributed through PDS;
- (d) the standards followed  for  fortification  of  grains, cereals and pulses supplied through PDS ;
- (e) whether  the  Government conducts  regular quality checks  on  fortified food items distributed  through  PDS and if  so, the details of such quality  control measures;
- (f) whether the distribution of  fortified  grains through PDS has led to  a reduction in malnutrition  and micronutrient  deficiencies;
- (g) if  so, the details of such studies or reports assessing the impact of  fortified food distribution; and
- (h) the steps taken by the Government to farther improve the nutritional quality of  food distributed under PDS?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,

FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a) to (c): Under  National Food  Security  Act  (NFSA), only  rice,  wheat  and  coarse-grains are distributed through Public Distribution System (PDS). No other cereals and pulses are distributed through PDS under NFSA.

Further, to  combat anaemia and other micronutrient deficiencies, the Government of India is supplying fortified  rice under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of  Central Government covering all  States and Union Territories. The rice fortification process involves enriching rice with  Iron, folic  acid, and Vitamin B12 by blending custom-milled rice with fortified rice kernels (FRK) at 1% by weight.

(d): Rice Fortification Initiative  adheres to the standards prescribed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSS AI)  in Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018, and its subsequent amendments.

(e): Quality  assessment inspections are conducted to  ascertain the  quality  standards of central pool  foodgrains stocks meant for  distribution through PDS and OWS. Further, a Quality Control Manual has been formulated and issued in  order to maintain the quality standards of  foodgrains from  procurement to  its  distribution  to  the  eligible  beneficiaries through various social security programmes of Government of India.

(f)  &  (g): NITI  Aayog has constituted a Core Committee to monitor the impact evaluation of the Rice Fortification Initiative. NITI  Aayog and Indian Council of Medical Research National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) have taken up study in six districts in six different states (Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam) of the country to evaluate the impacts of iron  fortified  rice supplied through the Public Distribution Systems in  India.  The  study includes all  age groups, employs a time-series, repeat crosssectional design and covers approximately  10,000 individuals.

The study consists of baseline, midline and endline assessment at an interval of one year. Currently, the baseline survey data collection  has been completed in all  states, and data collection  for the subsequent  rounds will  progress as per the study protocol.

.....3/-

Additionally,  the State Government of Uttar Pradesh, with  the support from the United Nations World Food Programme, conducted an efficacy and effectiveness study on rice fortification in Chandauli district. The study showed a significant 7.5 % point reduction in anemia prevalence among the  children (6-59 months) after the  introduction of  rice fortification,  with  rates decreasing from 65 .7% (baseline: National Family  Health Survey-5, Jan. 2021) to 58.2% (endline: July-August 2023).

(h): Coarse-grains and six  minor  millets  have been added in the PDS in  addition to fortifiedrice and wheat. States/UTs are encouraged to  include coarse-grains/millets in  the PDS, replacing a part of wheat/rice, with  the aim to diversify  the food basket.

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