Unpolished rice for diabetic patients likely soon

Kurnool: AP State Food Commission Chairman J R Pushparaj has warned of taking stringent action if any one involved in irregularities in Public Distribution System (PDS). He held a review meeting on National Food Safety Act–2013 with the officials concerned at the Collectorate here on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman said that National Food Safety Act was introduced in the year 2013. Based on the National Food Safety Act, the state government had introduced the State Food Commission in 2015. Pushparaj said that 55,607 Anganwadi Centres and 257 ICDS projects are functioning in the state and they are supplying nutritious food to the pregnant and lactating mothers.

In Kurnool alone, 33 lakh beneficiaries are being supplied with nutritious food through 3,549 Anganwadi Centres and 35 lakh students are availing mid-day meal facility through 45,568 schools, he stated, adding around 1.46 crore ration cardholders are getting rice, pulses and other provisions through the PDS.

Th pane chief directed the ICDS and Health department to work jointly to overcome the malnutrition in the district. “We are planning to supply unpolished rice through ration shops to control the diabetic cases being registered more in Krishna, Nellore and East Godavari districts,” he stated. Joint Collector V Prasanna Venkatesh said that there are 42 Chenchu hamlets in Kurnool in which 9,000 families are dwelling.

On the directions of District Collector S Satyanarayana, we are supplying the porridge of foxtail millets to the Chenchu women to reduce infant and maternal mortality rate. “We are able to reap good results with the porridge. The Joint Collector urged the panel to supply jowar to the Chenchu families along with rice.

Responding to the plea of the Joint Collector, the panel chief assured that he will see the demand is fulfilled in a period of 30 days. Joint Collector Ramaswamy, RDOs, DSO, ICDS PD, DEO, DMHO, CDPOs, Tahsildars and MEOs participated in the meeting.