Source: TP
Subject: Miscellaneous
Context: The Central Government has decided to temporarily discontinue the distribution of fortified rice under the PMGKAY and other welfare schemes due to shelf-life concerns.
About Suspension of Fortified Rice Rollout:
What is Fortified Rice?
- Fortified rice is regular rice that has been deliberately enriched with essential micronutrients—specifically Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12.
- This is done to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and combat hidden hunger or micronutrient deficiencies among vulnerable populations.
Associated Schemes:
The fortification initiative was integrated into India’s largest social safety nets, including:
- PMGKAY: Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (Free foodgrain scheme).
- TPDS: Targeted Public Distribution System under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
- PM-POSHAN: Formerly the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in schools.
- ICDS: Integrated Child Development Services (delivered through Anganwadi centres).
Aim:
- The primary goal was to address malnutrition and anemia nationwide by 2024. By making fortified rice mandatory in government schemes, the government aimed to provide a cost-effective and scalable public health intervention to improve the health of women and children.
Steps in Fortification:
- Production of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK): Rice flour is mixed with a premix of vitamins and minerals and then shaped into grain-like kernels using an extruder machine.
- Blending: These FRKs are blended with regular polished rice, typically at a ratio of 1:100 (one fortified kernel for every 100 grains of regular rice).
Key Features:
- Government Funded: The entire cost of fortification is borne by the Government of India as part of the food subsidy.
- Phased Implementation: The rollout began in 2021 with the goal of covering all districts in India by June 2024.
- Technical Support: Organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) provide technical assistance and training to millers and officials.
Current Challenge:
- The high buffer stocks in India mean rice often stays in silos for 2–3 years.
- The IIT-Kharagpur study highlighted that moisture and humidity during this long duration degrade the nutrients, leading to the current suspension until a more robust delivery mechanism is found.
