Distribution of fortified rice across Government Schemes

Background

Need for food fortification

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021, anaemia remains a widespread issue in India, 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 the vulnerable population. Rice is an ideal vehicle for supplying micronutrients in the Indian Context as 65% of India's population consumes rice as a staple food. Rice fortification involves the addition of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) enriched with micronutrients (Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B 12) as per standards prescribed by FSSAI to regular Rice (Custom Milled Rice).

Government initiatives in supply of fortified rice

The government during April 2022 approved the supply of fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN [erstwhile Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)] and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of Government of India in all States and Union Territories (UTs). 

Earlier, the Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on "Fortification of Rice and its Distribution under Public Distribution System" was implemented for a period of 3 years beginning from 2019-20. Eleven (11) States- Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand successfully distributed the fortified rice in their identified districts (one district per State) under the pilot scheme.

Duration of the scheme

For the scheme period 2022-24, the following three phases implementation of the initiative were taken up.

• Phase-I: Covering ICDS and PM POSHAN in India all over by March, 2022 
• Phase-II: Phase I above plus TPDS and OWS in all Aspirational and High Burden Districts on stunting (total 291 districts) by March 2023.
• Phase-Ill: Phase II above plus covering the remaining districts of the country by March 2024.

All three phases have been successfully completed and the target of universal coverage to supply fortified rice in all schemes of the Government was achieved by March 2024.

During October 2024, the Union cabinet approved continuation of the universal supply of Fortified Rice under all schemes of the Government including Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and Other Welfare Schemes etc. in its present form, from July 2024 and upto December 2028.

Financial implications

The entire cost of rice fortification (around Rs. 2,700 crore per annum) would be borne by the Govt. of India as part of food subsidy till its full implementation upto June, 2024.

During the period July 2024 - December 2028, the rice fortification initiative will continue as a central sector initiative with 100% funding by the Government of India as part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) (Food Subsidy), thus providing a unified institutional mechanism for implementation.

Source : PIB