Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

Pilot scheme on fortification of Rice and its Distribution under PDS 

Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Department of Food & Public Distribution (DoF&PD) is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on “Fortification of Rice and its Distribution under Public Distribution System (PDS)” for a period of three years beginning 2019-20 with a total budget outlay of Rs.174.64 Crore. The objective of this pilot project is to address anaemia and micronutrients’ deficiency amongst beneficiaries consuming rice supplied under PDS.

Objective of the scheme

The objective of this scheme is to start Pilot projects in States and Union Territories with rice consumption (in Districts with prevalence of micronutrient deficiency). Based on the experience and learnings gained from these pilot projects, the distribution of fortified rice will be scaled up. The key objectives of the scheme are: 

• Distribution of fortified rice through Public Distribution System, to cater to 15 Districts in the country – preferably one District per State in the initial phase of implementation (To begin with, the States/UTs will have the option to implement the Pilot Scheme in a part of the selected District too).
• Coverage of all NFSA beneficiaries under the PDS with fortified rice in the selected Districts.
• Facilitate cross-learning and sharing of best practices among States/UTs and DoF&PD.
• An important Objective would be to evaluate the provision, coverage, and utilization of fortified rice by the target population as well as the efficacy/effectiveness of the consumption of fortified rice in reducing the targeted micronutrient deficiencies in different age and gender groups.

Coverage

So far, 15 States, i.e., Andhra Pradesh (West Godawari District), Kerala (Ernakulam), Karnataka (Raichur), Maharashtra (Gadchiroli District), Odisha (Malkangiri District), Gujarat (Narmada), Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi District), Assam (Bongaigaon), Tamil Nadu (Tiruchirappalli), Telangana, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh have consented for implementation of the Pilot Scheme.

Out of these States, Maharashtra and Gujarat have already started distribution of fortified rice under PDS in the Pilot Scheme from February, 2020.

Rice fortification

Fortified rice is produced by blending fortified rice kernels (FRK) with regular rice through use of various blending solutions in the ratio of 1:100. Fortification of rice in the Scheme has been approved to be done at source i.e. blending at milling stage. All rice (quantity required for distribution in the selected District) that is passed through the stages of milling and processing, must also be fortified by blending with FRKs before bagging rice for further distribution.

Cost for Rice Fortification under PDS

The incremental cost @ 60 paise per kg would be reimbursed to the rice millers through States/UTs for the total volume of fortified rice produced. The incremental charges will be shared between the Centre and the States/UTs in the ratio of 90:10 in case of North-East, Hilly and Island States and 75:25 in case of rest of the States. 

To access the complete scheme guidelines, click here.  

Source : Department of Food & Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution