Question : Distribution of Fortified Rice

(a) whether the Government plans to distribute fortified rice through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Other Welfare Schemes (OWS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and PM-POSHAN, by March 2024, to include 291 Aspirational Districts;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether by March 2024, the entire TPDS and OWS are likely to be covered by fortified rice in the country with essential nutrients on pilot basis focusing on 15 districts across 15 States - preferably one district per State being an effective way in fighting malnutrition in kids and adults; and

(d) if so, the details and the present status thereof?

A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a): Yes Sir.

(b): The total annual requirement of fortified rice in Targeted Public Distribution System, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) is about 350 LMT.

(c) to (d): Government of India approved Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on "Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System" for a period of 3 years beginning in 2019-20 with total outlay of Rs. 174.64 Cr. The Pilot Scheme focuses on 15 districts across 15 states, preferably 1 district per State. So far, eleven (11) States namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand have stared distribution of fortified rice in their identified districts under the pilot scheme. So far upto 15.03.2022, 4.22 (approx.) Lakh Metric Ton (LMT) of fortified rice has been distributed under the Pilot Scheme. The Pilot Scheme is upto 31.03.2022.
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