Centre approves fortified rice supply continuation till December 2028

Meant to nutritional security challenges, rice fortification involves the adding of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), containing micronutrients such as iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, into regular rice

The Centre on Wednesday (October 9) approved the continuation of the universal supply of Fortified Rice under all government schemes, including PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), till December 2028.

“The rice fortification initiative will continue as a central sector initiative with 100 per cent funding by the Centre as part of PMGKAY (food subsidy), thus providing a unified institutional mechanism for implementation,” an official press release said. The move is aimed at solidifying India’s nutritional security by addressing anaemia and micronutrients deficiency.

The rice fortification initiative was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in April 2022. The process to implement the scheme began from March 2024 in a three-phase manner, which has been successfully executed, the Centre said. 

 

What is rice fortification?

Rice fortification involves the adding of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), containing micronutrients such as iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, into regular rice. This is done in the ratio of 1:100 (Mixing 1 kg of FRK with 100 kg custom milled rice, and the final product is nearly identical to traditional rice in aroma, taste, and texture.

Anaemia, which can lead to iron deficiency, is a key concern in India, impacting children, women and men, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021, showed. The survey also revealed that deficiencies in other crucial minerals, such as Vitamin B12 and folic acid are also prevalent, impacting India’s health and productivity.

To deal with micronutrient malnutrition, food fortification is used as a safe and effective measure globally, the Centre said. According to the official data, about 65 per cent of the Indian population consumes rice as a staple food, making it a significant food commodity in addressing this challenge.