Centre mulls fortified wheat, rice in PDS

The Centre is considering introducing fortified wheat and rice in the public distribution system (PDS), for which inter-ministerial consultations are underway, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told reporters here on Thursday.

“Consultations are on with the Woman and Child Development (WCD) and the Health Ministries,” the Minister said at press conference here, to highlight the achievements of his Ministry in the past 19 months.

While the WCD Ministry is looking at the nutrition aspect, food regulator FSSAI (which is under the Health Ministry) is working on the standards, said Vrinda Sarup, Secretary (Food & Public Distribution), adding that while standards for atta (wheat flour) had already been drawn in February 2015, those for rice were yet to be finalised.

Stating that the Food Security Act will have rolled out in all States by April this year, Paswan said 97 per cent ration cards had already been digitised and 10.10 crore cards had been seeded with Aadhaar to make the system more transparent.

Cash transfers for food have begun in Chandigarh and Puducherry from September 2015, he said, adding that next in line was Dadra & Nagar Haveli. With the price of pulses still ruling high, the Minister termed the gap between demand and supply as the “biggest challenge”, adding that so far 44 lakh tonnes had been imported, and 15,000 tonnes were procured from farmers to create a buffer stock.

“This will take care of any panic in the market,” he said, adding that the target for food grain buffer stock this year had been set at 1.5 lakh tonnes, adding that procurement in kharif and rabi for 2015-16 will be done at market price above the minimum support price, out of the Price Stabilisation Fund.

Pulses production in the 2015-16 crop year (July-June) is expected to fall or remain flat due to a deficit monsoon.

Asked about his views on Khesari dal, Paswan said he is in favour of lifting the ban if the new varieties are found fit for human consumption.

“I have consumed Kesari dal for 15 years and nothing has happened to me. It’s tasty, cheap and nutritious. Since its cultivation is easy, it will help ease the pressure on pulses imports and production,” he added.

Kesari dal was banned in 1961 as its consumption was linked to lathyrism (paralysis of the lower limbs).

As per media reports, FSSAI has sought the Health Ministry’s approval to hold public consultations on approval of three new varieties — Ratan, Prateek and Mahateara.

Commenting on the first back-to-back drought in nearly three decades, Paswan said sugar production in the 2015-16 season would be enough to cater to the local demand.

On cane arrears to farmers, he said only ₹2,500 crore was pending, against ₹21,000 crore due in March 2015.

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