The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accorded its approval for supply of fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN [erstwhile Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)] and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of Government of India in all States and Union Territories (UTs) by 2024 in a phased manner.

The entire cost of rice fortification (around Rs 2,700 crore per annum) would be borne by the Govt of India as part of food subsidy till its full implementation upto June, 2024.

The following three phases are envisaged for full implementation of the initiative:

Phase-I: Covering ICDS and PM POSHAN in India all over by March, 2022 which is under implementation.

Phase-II: Phase I above plus TPDS and OWS in all Aspirational and High Burden Districts on stunting (total 291 districts) by March 2023.

Phase-Ill: Phase II above plus covering the remaining districts of the country by March 2024.

Earlier, the Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on “Fortification of Rice and its Distribution under Public Distribution System” was implemented for a period of 3 years beginning from 2019-20. Eleven (11) States- Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand successfully distributed the fortified rice in their identified districts (one district per State) under the pilot scheme.