Under Wheat based Nutrition Programme of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (erstwhile Integrated Child Development scheme), fortified rice is allocated to all States/UTs across the country.

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) (erstwhile Mid Day Meal) is an on-going Centrally-Sponsored Scheme which covers all school children studying in Balvatika and classes I-VIII of Government and Government-aided schools. Government of India has approved Centrally sponsored pilot scheme on “Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System on 14.02.2019 for a period of three years beginning 2019-20. M/o Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution is the Nodal Ministry in the matter. DoSE&L issued instructions to all the States/UTs to use fortified rice wherever supplied by Food Corporation of India (FCI). As per information received, fortified rice is distributed/consumed in all districts across the country subject to availability of fortified rice.

A robust ICT enabled platform named as “Poshan Tracker” management application has been launched which provides a view of the activities at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC), service deliveries of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and beneficiary management for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. The application aims to improve governance with regard to real time monitoring and provisioning of supplementary nutrition for prompt supervisions and management of services. Further, for the first time, Anganwadi workers have been provided with 11.30 lakh smart phones. Besides, to promote regular growth monitoring, 11.94 lakh Growth Monitoring Devices (Infantometer, Stadiometer, Weighing Scale for Infants and Weighing Scale for Mother and Child) have been procured by States/UTs under the Abhiyaan.

Under Wheat based Nutrition Programme of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (erstwhile Integrated Child Development scheme), from the third quarter onwards of FY 2021-22, 100 percent fortified Rice is being distributed to all the States/UTs across the country which also includes aspirational and heavy burdened districts as well.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

 

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