RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, April 9: Former food and civil supply minister of Jharkhand Saryu Roy today raised doubt on the quality of fortified rice being distributed through shops running under the Public Distribution System among beneficiaries besides children of Anagawadi and students of the school under the mid-day meal programme.
Raising doubt via Twitter, he asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to check its adverse effect and also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider distributing it.
He wrote, “@HemantSorenJMM Check the adverse effect of fortified rice being given in ration, mid-day meal, and Anganwadi on public health. The beneficiaries of this rice found in ration in Pahari Tola of Karra block of Khunti district are complaining of stomach ache, body ache and diarrhoea.”
.@HemantSorenJMM राशन,मध्याह्न भोजन,आंगनबाड़ी में दिये जा रहे फ़ोर्टिफ़ाइड चावल के जनस्वास्थ्य पर पड़ने वाले प्रतिकुल प्रभाव की जाँच करायें. खूँटी ज़िला के कर्रा प्रखंड के पहाड़ी टोला में राशन में मिले यह चावल खाने वाले लाभुक पेट दर्द,बदन दर्द,दस्त होने की शिकायत कर रहे हैं.
— Saryu Roy (@roysaryu) April 9, 2022
In another tweet, he wrote, “@narendramodi Reconsider the plan of the Central Government to distribute fortified rice in ration and mid-day meals. It is injurious to human health. It is not natural but industrial rice. Government should make public the data of the pilot project of this scheme, comparative advantage.”
.@narendramodi राशन एवं मध्याह्न भोजन में फ़ोर्टिफ़ाइड चावल वितरित करने की केन्द्र सरकार की योजना पर पुनर्विचार करें.यह मानव स्वास्थ्य के लिये हानिकारक है.यह प्राकृतिक नहीं बल्कि औद्योगिक चावल है.सरकार इस योजना के पायलट प्रोजेक्ट के आँकड़े सार्वजनिक करे,तुलनात्मक फ़ायदा बताए.
— Saryu Roy (@roysaryu) April 9, 2022
To deal with the problem of malnutrition and anaemia, the then Raghubar Das-led BJP government in Jharkhand had started providing fortified rice to the people at ration stations under the Public Distribution System. Fortified rice contains micronutrients such as iron and other B-complex vitamins. Officials claim about 57 lakh people will benefit from this scheme.
NITI Aayog has selected Jharkhand to start the programme from the areas where a significant number of cases of malnutrition were reported. The Centre has asked the state government to begin with a pilot project before launching the scheme.
