Fortified rice through PDS: Distribution to begin in Khammam this month

In Khammam, it is planned to distribute fortified rice to the beneficiaries falling under 745 ration shops in 21 mandals of the district from April onwards

Khammam: The State government has made arrangements for distributing fortified rice to ration card holders through its public distribution system (PDS) in Khammam district. Ration card holders in Nirmal, Hanamkonda, Sircilla, Vikarabad and Karimnagar districts would also be given fortified rice from April onwards.

In Khammam, it is planned to distribute fortified rice to the beneficiaries falling under 745 ration shops in 21 mandals of the district from April onwards. Fortified rice will replace regular rice now being supplied through ration shops and orders in this connection have already been issued.

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As many as 11.37 lakh persons covered under 4.12 lakh ration cards in Khammam will be benefitted with the initiative aimed at addressing malnutrition and anaemia caused among poorer sections due to deficiency of vitamin B12, folic acid and iron, said District Civil Supplies Officer B Rajender.

62.70 lakh kg of fortified rice will be distributed to those having three types of ration cards, Antyodaya Food Security Card (AFSC), Food Security Card (FSC) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) as per the existing norms.

There are 26,794 AFSCs, 3,85,295 FSCs and three AAY cards in Khammam. As many as 71,133 units under AFSC will receive 9,37,790 kilograms of rice, 10.66 lakh units under FSC will get 3,32,320 kg rice while five units of AAY cards get 30 kg rice, Rajender told Telangana Today.

Rice fortification is the process of adding Fortified Rice Kernels (FRKs) containing Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) prescribed micronutrients and minerals to normal Rice in the ratio of 1:100 (mixing 1 Kg of FRKs with 100 Kg custom milled rice).

Fortified rice is closely identical to traditional rice in aroma, taste, and texture. This process is done in the rice mills at the time of milling of rice. One kg of fortified rice contains 28 to 42.5 micrograms iron, 75 to 125 mg folic acid, and 0.75 to 1.25 mg B-12 vitamin. In addition to that zinc, vitamin-A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B-6 added to the grains to enhance nutritious value. It helps fight anaemia, especially among pregnant women and to achieve nutritional security, the DSO noted.

Awareness programmes for rice millers and concerned officials were conducted for the distribution of fortified rice.