Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Principal Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department of Madhya Pradesh, said that Singrauli is the first district in MP to start the supply of fortified rice in PDS with the support of the Government of India.

We are implementing rice fortification in Bhind and Anantpur districts through CSR programmes, wherein fortified rice will be distributed via the PDS. If we receive favourable results from this endeavour, the government will scale up the supply of fortified rice through PDS, ICDS and MDM. FSSAI is also deliberating over making fortification mandatory which is likely to include milk, cooking oil, etc., making the fortified food products widely available.

He was addressing media workshop organized by the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT), supported by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh, here on Friday. The experts addressed the media on the benefits of food fortification and the urgent need for its widespread adoption.

Following this, the technical session was taken by Gururaj Patil, Team Lead, Fortification, KHPT.

In food fortification, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals like Folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, etc) are added to staple foods like rice, wheat flour, milk and edible oils. Micronutrient deficiency results in poor cognitive and learning abilities in children and overall, lower productivity, increased morbidity, and mortality and lower immune responses.

Data from the first phase of the NFHS-5 (National Family Health Survey-5) covering 17 states and five Union Territories, showed a worsening in indicators related to nutrition such as anaemia and Vitamin D levels in many states. Child stunting increased in Goa, Kerala, Telangana, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.