Government Temporarily Halts Rice Fortification Amid Nutrient Concerns

The government has temporarily halted fortification of rice under various welfare schemes due to concerns about nutrient degradation during storage. A study from IIT Kharagpur highlighted factors affecting shelf life. The pause allows exploring a more robust nutrient delivery mechanism without affecting foodgrain entitlements.

The government has decided to temporarily halt the fortification of rice distributed through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and other welfare schemes, as stated in an official announcement released recently.

This decision comes after a study conducted by IIT Kharagpur revealed that factors like storage conditions and moisture content adversely affect the nutrient stability and shelf life of fortified rice.

With the halt, efforts will be redirected towards developing a more effective nutrient delivery system, ensuring food entitlement programs remain unaffected for beneficiaries.

(With inputs from agencies.)