Meals Ministry counters Congress, says fortified rice secure

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The Ministry stated rice fortification has been adopted by seven international locations, together with the U.S., since 1958.
| Picture Credit score: V. Raju

The Union Meals Ministry, on Friday, countered the Opposition Congress’s allegation that the distribution of fortified rice by honest worth outlets is being carried out regardless of a number of warnings by consultants and establishments corresponding to NITI Aayog and the Meals Security and Requirements Authority of India (FSSAI).

A spokesperson of the Ministry stated the Niti Aayog had been actively engaged in working the scheme. “There is no such thing as a foundation within the reviews that Niti Aayog took a stand towards fortified rice,” he stated.

Analysis below approach

The Ministry has been sustaining, citing varied research, that consumption of fortified rice resulted in important enchancment in haemoglobin ranges and discount within the prevalence of anaemia. The Ministry stated rice fortification has been adopted by seven international locations, together with the U.S., since 1958. “Concurrent analysis is being carried out by NITI Aayog in affiliation with the Indian Council of Medical Analysis. Analysis examine of some pilot districts are additionally below approach,” the official stated.

In the meantime, the Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) stated in a press release that the Centre, in a unilateral choice, has been supplying iron-fortified rice in public security web programmes just like the PDS, mid-day meals, and anganwadis, reaching crores of Indians. “These are largely poor residents who depend on state subsidised meals and for whom iron-fortified rice has grow to be obligatory since they can not afford to purchase different (non-fortified) rice within the open market. The scaling up of this programme got here earlier than a pilot scheme in 15 States was accomplished, or evaluated independently and rigorously. The analysis of those pilots was due in late 2022 as per an RTI response by the federal government,” the assertion stated.

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