The Centre has approved the continuation of the supply of free Fortified Rice under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare schemes from July 2024 to December 2028. The decision was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Briefing media on Cabinet decisions in New Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the initiative will reduce anaemia and micro-nutrient deficiency. Mr Vaishnaw added the total financial implication will be 17 thousand and 82 crore rupees with 100 percent funding provided by the Central Government.
Union Minister Mr Vaishnaw added that to ensure supply of Fortified rice, a complete supply chain has been developed. He informed that an investment of 11 thousand crore rupees has been made for developing the supply chain. Mr Vaishnaw said that there are 925 fortified rice manufacturers with an annual capacity of one hundred eleven lakh tonnes.
Rice fortification involves the addition of Fortified Rice Kernels enriched with micronutrients like Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12 as per standards prescribed by FSSAI.
In April, the government decided to implement the Rice fortification initiative throughout the country in a phased manner by March 2024. All three phases have been completed and the target of universal coverage to supply fortified rice in all schemes of the Government was achieved by March 2024.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021, anaemia remains a widespread issue in the country affecting children, women, and men across various age groups and income levels. Besides iron deficiency, other vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as Vitamin B12 and folic acid, also persist, impacting the overall health and productivity of the population.
Food fortification has been used globally as a safe and effective measure to address anaemia and micronutrient malnutrition in vulnerable populations. Rice is an ideal vehicle for supplying micronutrients in the Indian Context as 65% of India’s population consumes rice as a staple food.
