Centre allocates Rs 805 crore to intensify fight against Anemia: Minister informs Parliament
New Delhi: The Government of India has rolled out the Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy aimed at reducing anaemia prevalence among children, adolescents, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, as informed by the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt Anupriya Patel, during a recent session of the Rajya Sabha.
A major aspect of the AMB campaign is the fortification of rice with essential micronutrients like iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12. The Government, through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme, and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme, distributes fortified rice to people in need. By March 2024, the Government aims to replace all custom-milled rice with fortified rice under these schemes.
To support the AMB strategy, the Government has allocated substantial funds. In the Financial Year 2024-25, Rs 805.91 Crores have been allocated to various States and Union Territories under the National Health Mission (NHM) to implement activities related to the AMB programme.
Furthermore, she inquired whether there is any plan to establish a lab to check the quality of fortified rice, and the details thereof.
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The States are provided funds by the National Health Mission based on the proposals received in their Annual Programme Implementation Plans. Under NHM, for the FY 2024-25, Rs 805.91 Crores have been allocated to the States/UTs to implement various activities under the Anemia Mukt Bharat programme.
As per information received from the Department of Food and Public Distribution, the Government supplies fortified rice enriched with essential micronutrients such as Iron, Folic acid, Vitamin B12, through Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) in all States/UTs to tackle micronutrient deficiencies. The Rice Fortification initiative was scaled up in a phased manner, and by March 2024, all custom-milled rice had been replaced with fortified rice in every scheme of the government.
As per information received, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has issued a list of FSSAI-notified laboratories, approved particularly for testing of fortificants (Iron, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin B9) in Fortified Rice, Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), and Premix for Fortified Rice Kernels. The number of laboratories notified for Fortified Rice, Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), and Premix for Fortified Rice Kernels is fifty-seven, thirty five and fifteen, respectively, the minister added.
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