Centre Approves Distribution Of Fortified Rice Under Govt Schemes In All States

Bhubaneswar: The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a proposal to distribute fortified rice through government schemes in all states by 2024.

Stating this at a press briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said FCI and state agencies have already procured 88.65 lakh metric tonne (LMT) of fortified rice for supply and distribution.

The fortified rice will be distributed through PDS and other government schemes in all states including Odisha and Union territories in three phases under PM-POSHAN scheme. The total cost of around Rs 2,700 crore per annum would be borne by the Centre as part of food subsidy till its full implementation upto June 2024, the minister said.

Fortified rice will be provided through Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), PM POSHAN and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of the government.

Thakur further said the government targets to make fortified rice available at ration shops by March 2024. During first phase, ICDS and PM POSHAN across the country will be covered by March, 2022.

While second phase will include TPDS and OWS in aspirational and high burden districts (total 291 districts) by March 2023, the last phase will cover the remaining districts of the country by March 2024, he added.

It may be noted that the pilot scheme on fortification of rice and its distribution under PDS was implemented for 3 years from 2019-20. As many as 11 states including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand had successfully distributed the fortified rice in their identified districts.

The rice fortification scheme aims at providing nutrition to women, children, and lactating mothers to overcome malnutrition and lack of essential nutrients.