SYLLABUS SECTION: GS III (PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM)
WHY IN THE NEWS?
Recently, the Union Department of Food and Public Distribution has started the second phase of distribution of Boost supply of fortified rice from April 1, 2022.
WHAT IS FORTIFICATION?
It is the process in which essential micronutrients in food is being adding to improve its nutritional quality and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health.
FORTIFIED RICE DISTRIBUTION
- It was starting in October 2021.
- It aims to supply fortifyy rice with three micronutrients- iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 to beneficiaries of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the PMPOSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) scheme.
- Food Corporation of India (FCI) had procure about 90 lakh tonnes of fortified rice and about 2.2 lakh tonnes had been supply to 90 districts in 16 States. The Central government is targeting 291 districts.
- Recently in a study, health risk regarding consumption of fortified rice has been found. Hence, a disclaimer of rice fortification has been put in India unlike in other countries so that people are aware of what they are consuming.
- State-run food agencies and commercial manufacturers of fortified food and Boost supply of fortified rice are mandate to carry the “+F” logo along with a health warning on packaging for people with blood disorders such as sickle-cell anemia and thalassemia.
BENEFITS OF RICE FORTIFICATION
- To provide a nutritional boost to undernourish and vulnerable populations
- Fortified rice helps prevent cretinism, goiter, thyrotoxicosis, and brain damage and improves fetal and neonatal health.
- to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition, and school dropout;
- It is a centrally sponsore pilot scheme.
- to lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the child;
- Malnutrition cost the country at least ₹ 77,000 crores annually in terms of lost productivity, illness, and death. India has lost about 1% of its GDP from anemia.
INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (ICDS)
- It was launch on 2nd October 1975.
- It is one of the world’s largest and most unique programs for early childhood care and development.
- Children in the age group of 0-6 years,
- pregnant women and lactating mothers.
- Objectives of the Scheme:
- to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group 0-6 years;
- to achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development; and
- It aims to respond to the challenge of providing pre-school non-formal education on one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced learning capacity, and mortality on the other.
- to enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education.
- The ICDS Scheme offers a package of six services, viz.
- Supplementary Nutrition
- Pre-school non-formal education
- Nutrition & health education
- Health check-up and
- Referral services
PMPOSHAN (PRADHAN MANTRI POSHAN SHAKTI NIRMAN) SCHEME
- It aims to provide one hot cooked meal to students of Government and Government – aided schools.
- Under the Scheme, there is the provision of hot cooked meals to children of pre-school or Bal Vatika (before class I) in primary schools also in addition to the 11.80 crore children of classes I to VIII studying in 11.20 lakh schools.
- The Scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Education.
- Objectives of the PM POSHAN Scheme are to address two of the pressing problems for the majority of children in India, viz. hunger and education by improving the nutritional status of eligible children in Government and Government-aided schools as well as encouraging poor children, belonging to disadvantaged sections, to attend school more regularly and help them concentrate on classroom activities.
Read more: UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS
SOURCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES