Fortified Rice Scheme extended till December 2028

10-Oct-2024 08:46 PM

New Delhi. The Central Government has approved the proposal to continue the distribution of fortified rice under the Food Security Act and other welfare schemes till December 2028, on which the government may have to spend a total of more than Rs 17,000 crore.

This program was started in the year 2022. Fortified rice is manufactured as per the standards set by the food safety regulatory body - Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and it is mixed with three micronutrients - iron, folic acid and vitamin B12.

This fortified rice is distributed by mixing it with normal category rice. It is believed that this fortified rice plays an important role in eliminating problems like malnutrition and anemia, although there is some risk in it, but the benefits from it are much more than that.

This fortification program has been implemented in 140 countries of the world. Fortified rice can solve the problem of anemia in women.

This scheme is completely sponsored by the Centre and is being distributed free of cost. Its supply is estimated to cost Rs 17,082 crore. The government is also trying to solve the problem of malnutrition.