Gurugram: Food Corporation of India (FCI) under Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has developed its first state-of-art quality control laboratory for in house testing of food grain samples at Institute of Food Security (IFS), FCI, here. The laboratory was inaugurated today by Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution.
The Gurugram laboratory has been set up under the guidance of the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru in Karnataka.
Now food grains to be issued from FCI depots under various welfare schemes of the Government will be checked in-house for pesticide residues, Mycotoxin, Uric acid and fortification level of vitamins to ensure the food grain safety and nutritional security of the consumers.
The Minister emphasized the Centre’s commitment towards the importance of eating safe and healthy food and appreciated FCI’s all-inclusive approach to working towards a healthier nation. He also stressed the need to provide sufficient, safe and nutritious food grain to all people which is one of the major global concerns.
He further emphasized that in view of large-scale malnutrition, anaemia among children and women, the Centre is working towards increasing the nutritious content of rice through fortification. Fortified rice distribution is being taken up under different government schemes including Public Distribution System, Mid-Day Meal among others and will be completed by 2024.
“Not only through Public Distribution System, but Centre is making efforts to make Fortified Rice available in open markets soon,” he said.
He said that the in the phase bound manner during first phase, till March 22m 35 LMT fortified rice is targeted to be distributed through Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and Mid Day Meal scheme. In the second phase, till March 2023, 175 LMT Fortified Rice will be distributed and in third phase till March 2024, 350 LMT Fortified Rice will be distributed.
– global bihari bureau
