NEW DELHI: The Centre has decided to temporarily discontinue the distribution of fortified rice under its welfare schemes following findings by a study at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
The study revealed concerns regarding the lower shelf life and stability of fortified rice grains.
Previously, the government provided fortified rice kernels to millions of beneficiaries to combat malnutrition under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and related programs.
In an official statement, the Centre announced that it reviewed the implementation of rice fortification under PMGKAY and other welfare schemes.
The decision to pause the rice fortification process until an effective nutrient delivery mechanism for beneficiaries is identified came thereafter.
The fortification of rice and its distribution were first piloted under PDS in 2019 for three years. Later, the initiative was scaled up in 2022 and was introduced under all related schemes by March 2024.
The government commissioned IIT Kharagpur to assess the shelf life of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) and Fortified Rice (FR) under actual storage conditions across various agro-climatic zones in the country.
The report concluded that factors such as moisture content, storage conditions, temperature, relative humidity, and packaging material affected the stability and shelf life of FRK and FR, significantly.
"Hence, these rice products are vulnerable to micronutrient loss and reduction in shelf life during prolonged storage and handling. As a result, their effective shelf life turns shorter than expected, which limits the intended nutritional benefits," the report said.
Given the procurement volumes and annual distribution rates, rice is often stored for two to three years.
With an annual allocation of 372 lakh metric tons (LMT) under PMGKAY and other welfare schemes, the total availability in the central pool is projected at 674 LMT, including receipts expected from the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025-26.