Title: Departments NewInitiatives Through The Food Route
1Departments New Initiatives Through The Food
Route
- Food Civil Supplies Consumer Affairs Department
2Problems
- We find cases of malnutrition, underweight
children and poor nutrition in females of both
poor and rich origin too. The right to safe
food and issue of adulteration of food are
urgent. There are instances of underweight,
loose goods given to people. Due to
non-fortification of food or oil, the nutrients
do not reach people and medicines are a costly
replacement. - The health process deteriorates and incidental
costs other than cost of morbidity go up and up.
Productivity is affected and several health and
medical cases are also associated due to lack of
micronutrients.
3Departments Initiative
- Department has initiated already fortification
of edible with Vitamin A and D through the
efforts of SOMA, District officials and Millers.
- All edible oils will be covered by 1-1-06 and
all districts are to follow the logo. This will
ensure sale of oil through packages and
implementation of packaging order. - The Department has also initiated through Flour
Millers fortification of wheat with iron and
folic acid for tackling anemia problem which
leads to severe morbidity and mortality rate
among mothers and children.
4- Micro nutrient deficiencies can be preventable
tragedy. - Every year, in India more than 24 lakh children
die. - Every year 1,32,000 mothers die.
- The productivity loss due to micro nutrient
deficiency calculated as 900 million U.S. dollar.
5- Government is commited to address this tragedy.
Article 47 of Constitution is aimed at raising
the level of nutrition and standard of living of
its people as well as improvement of the health
as primary duty. - This is possible by a simple fortification
process by adding pre-mixed vitamins A and D in
oil at 30 degree temperature after the crushing
is over and it can be stored in packages and
does not lose its value even if it is boiled
for cooking. - Such fortification does not carry any cost
save 3 paise per Kg as per the calculation of
SOMA. Such pre mixed solutions are easily
available and also soluble in oil.
6- As regard wheat in Gujarat 50,000 tonnes is
distributed through the Gujarat State Civil
Supplies Corporation through the PDS system while
the total consumption of wheat is 3 lakh tons. - In the first phase, 2.5 lakh tons of wheat
which is in open market shall be made into sale
in packages of 10 Kg and above and shall be
available with new logo fortified with pre-mixed
iron and folic acid (which is locally
manufactured by Nicholas Piramal India Limited
a company which is earlier known as Sarabhai
Chemicals Limited Baroda.) The Flour Millers
Association would add 30mg/kg iron which would
mean an average 4 rupees expenditure for every
M.T. of wheat.
7- The benefits to all are immeasurable.
- Cost to consumers very marginal.
8Strategy for quick implementation
- Since, 1997 a Task Force of Government of India
was made to deliberate on this several debates
have taken place at all forums and all
ministries do talk and worry, but no one has
taken up the mandate. Prevention of food
adulteration Act does not have provision for
iron, zinc and folic acid in wheat flour nor
for Vitamin A and D so far oil is concerned.
Therefore, the only strategy is to transform this
problem into national Programme of reality by
implementation.
9Implementation Strategy
- All the Oil Millers would produce oil fortified
with this Vitamin A and D and shall send for sale
through packets in packs from 500 gm to 10 Kg. - The premixed Vitamin A and D shall be added on
the basis of tons of oil produced. This shall be
subject to checking by any one and shall carry
the logo, messages and contents of the oil
fortified This would make possible disappearance
of Vitamin A and D deficiency leading to diseases
of eye-sight, bone related and growth related. - The Wheat and Flour Association would pack the
fortified flour through the 28 major mills and
more than 40 mini flour mills by voluntary
efforts and support of district officials who
shall work as a catalyst. The cost of flour would
not go up beyond 3 paise in such fortification.
The association has been asked to launch
completely this scheme from 1-1-2006
10- Fortification of PDS oil
- Oil is not a major commodity now in the PDS
system except during festival times. - During festival time oil further would be added
fortified with Vitamin henceforth at the time
of supply. Wheat is also distributed for
Government programme like ICDS, MDM, Tribal
Hostels, Social Welfare Institutions and other
Government run nutritional related programmes. - It is estimated that for every 100 Kg milled of
wheat, the recovery is 97 Kg as per the standard
fixed by the experts. The conversion cost for
every 1 Kg of wheat including sifting cleaning,
shifting, electricity cost, packing cost and
branding cost of the fortified goods, is
estimated as 75 paise per Kg. - It is estimated that 1 kg of wheat can feed 15
children at the rate of 60 grams while 10 adults
at the rate of 100 grams.
11- If the conversion cost is 75 paise per kg, it
means per children it comes to 6.3 paise
expenditure while it is 10 paise per others in
the school. - If this programme is implemented for Government
related programme if would mean - Availability of fortified wheat.
- Fortified flour can curb the possibility of
adulterated flour or wheat. - Availability of wheat or flour in proper packages
would mean correct measurements. - Accessibility of iron and folic acid to all the
beneficiaries would follow. - This will have an all round effect on the
development of mental and physical process of
all beneficiaries.
12Industries and Government Collaboration
- Government has initiated and industries have to
take the lead. - Food will gain value and value of food will gain.
- The related Ministries like Food Processing can
give more liberal assistance to oil millers for
installing the equipments for oil industry which
is now at 50 of the total cost. In the similar
way the flour millers can also get assistance in
the pre-mixed installation like it has been
given in the States of Haryana, Punjab and Union
Territories of Chandigrah through micronutrients
initiative of CIDA.
13- The Unfinished Mandate.
- NGOs have a role to educate. The Information
Department has to stir up the media for
encouraging the demand for such micronutrients.
The industries manufacturing pre-mix need to
promote the generic products more liberally and
cheaply. All concerned Departments like Health,
Consumer Affairs, Food Processing, Social
Welfare, Tribal Development, women and children,
need to promote, support awareness programme and
also quickly implement. - This is a social investment without much costs
and protects consumer rights and safety against
unsafe products and guarantees good life and
opportunity for better social and personal
dividends.
14The Responsibility Carried Forward
- Gujarat is the first State for fortification of
edible oil on a mass scale. It will be also the
first State to fortify wheat on a mass scale and
not for target population only like in Haryana
and Panchayat. - Need for pro-active participation from all is
needed like Millers, Manufactures,
Pharmaceutical Companies, Ministries of GOI,
Foreign-aid Organizations and NGOs. Flour
fortification and edible oil fortification can
be pushed into all pockets through awareness
programme and by all who stand committed to
successfully combat Vitamin, Mineral
deficiencies and restore them.
15- A malnourished child is disaster for the future.
- A malnourished mother is a liability for
tomorrow. - A malnourished adult is a dead stock for society.
16- Why not we all do the simple job of
implementing what is possible and make possible
what is implementable.
17Thanks
- With compliments from
- Dr.S.K.Nanda,IAS
- Principal Secretary
- Food,Civil Supplies Consumer Affairs Department
- 14,Sardar Bhavan,6th floor
- Sachivalaya,Gandhinagar- 382 010.
- Phone No. (O) 079-23251163/65