Fortified rice to be supplied to people across the state

Vijayawada: Minister for civil supplies and consumer affairs Karumuri Venkata NageswaraRao disclosed that the government will supply fortified rice to the people through the Public Distribution System (PDS), midday meal scheme and ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) across the state from ensuing September.

He said that they were already supplying this rice in north Andhra and Rayalaseema districts as a pilot project and it will be implemented across the state accordingly. While addressing a press conference at the state civil supplies office here on Thursday, the minister informed that the fortified rice has iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12 which can prevent anaemia and help improve the functioning of the nervous system.

He suggested that children, lactating mothers and pregnant women should take fortified rice in more and more quantities to ward off related health problems. He further said that the AP state stood in the top place in terms of supplying the fortified rice across the country.

Nageswara Rao revealed that a 3 kg packet of fortified rice will be door delivered to the pregnant women and lactating mothers from this month through the PDS.

“We have made posters to create awareness over the utilisation of this rice among the people. Besides, a video also has been made by the Tennis star PV Sindhu for publicity purposes.

We definitely bring awareness among the public by conducting a massive publicity campaign on the benefits of consuming fortified rice,” the minister stated.

He further clarified that fortified rice was not plastic rice and added that the rice has a tendency to float on the water wen mixed with water.

He also said that the fortified rice tends to change its color into blue when missed with iodine which is available with the medical shops, whereas the plastic rice won’t change its color. He appealed to users of social media and others not to spread fake news against the fortified rice without knowing anything about it.

The civil supplies minister said Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was supplying this fortified rice to the people for the sake of their health.

He also informed that they were also going to supply finger millets and sorghum to all the card holders in the state from now on which are being provided to the Rayalaseema region people currently.

Referring to the paddy procurement, Nageswara Rao said that they had set a target of procuring around 50 lakh metric tonne paddy in the upcoming kharif season from the farmers.

He assured the farmers that the government will credit the amount concerning paddy purchasing within six days of procurement. He said that there will be no role for middlemen in procuring the paddy.

Civil supplies commissioner H Arun Kumar and others were present.