Govt okays universal supply of fortified rice till December 2028; concerns regarding indiscriminate supply without health warnings remain

Almost a third of Indians depend on rice for sustenance
Govt okays universal supply of fortified rice till December 2028; concerns regarding indiscriminate supply without health warnings remain
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The Centre, on October 9, approved the continuation of the universal supply of fortified rice under all Union government schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) in its present form, from July 2024 and up to December 2028.

The decision was made by the Union cabinet that met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rice fortification will continue as a central sector initiative with 100 per cent funding by the central government, as part of PMGKAY, “thus providing a unified institutional mechanism for implementation”, the government said in a statement. 

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Fortification is a process through which essential micronutrients in food (in this case, rice) are added to boost nutritional quality that helps improve public health. The micronutrients that can be added to rice kernels are iron, folic acid, vitamin B-12, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B-1, vitamin B-2, vitamin B-3 and vitamin B-6 per kg.

India is the second-largest producer and consumer of rice in the world, accounting for some 20 per cent of global production. Almost a third of Indians depend on rice for sustenance.

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Govt okays universal supply of fortified rice till December 2028; concerns regarding indiscriminate supply without health warnings remain

The supply of fortified rice was started through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Other Welfare Schemes, Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS), PM POSHAN, to address anaemia and micronutrients deficiency in the country.

“Accordingly, in line with the Prime Minister’s address on 75th Independence Day on the necessity of Nutritional Security in the country, the initiative ‘Supply of fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Other Welfare Schemes, Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS), PM POSHAN (Erstwhile MDM) in all states and union territories’ to address anaemia and micronutrients deficiency in the country was taken up,” the statement said.

It was in April 2022 that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) decided to implement the initiative throughout the country in a phased manner by March 2024. 

However, food safety and health experts have been warning against universal distribution of fortified rice, without any screening or medical supervision, to beneficiaries of food welfare and nutrition schemes.

For example, consuming iron by patients of haemoglobinopathies (a group of blood disorders that affect red blood cells) like thalassemia and sickle cell disease, could lead to adverse outcomes like organ failure.

In fact, such patients are contraindicated to eat iron, according to clause 7 (4) of the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulation, 2018 and also based on global scientific evidence.

Currently, fortified products must carry the statement, ‘People with Thalassemia may take under medical supervision and persons with Sickle Cell Anaemia are advised not to consume iron fortified food products’.

Last year, the Supreme Court on October 14, 2023, had directed the Centre to respond to concerns regarding the government’s iron fortified rice programme and its indiscriminate distribution to even those suffering from thalassemia and sickle cell disease.

Despite these concerns, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently proposed a concerning amendment: to remove these crucial warning labels. The FSSAI has invited views on this proposed change via a gazette notification.

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