IEP Chandigarh, November 14
Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala informed that fortified flour will bring positive change in the lives of the people.
The Deputy Chief Minister was reviewing the pilot scheme of providing fortified flour to the women of poor families in five districts by the Food and Supplies Department at his office here today. Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Sh. Anoop Dhanak was also present in the meeting.
While expressing happiness over the results obtained from the pilot scheme, Sh. Dushyant Chautala informed that this pilot programme was initially launched in Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, and Haryana. He added that due to the efforts of the Haryana Government; great outcomes have emerged that are well above expectations.
On this occasion, the officers informed the Deputy Chief Minister that there is a severe deficiency of micronutrients in people across the country including Haryana, due to which mainly iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency are causing birth defects. To overcome the deficiency of these micronutrients, the pilot scheme of fortified flour was started by the central government in states like Haryana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Haryana. He said that a survey was conducted in November 2017 under this scheme in five districts of Haryana and flour fortification programme was started in March 2018 in which fortified flour was distributed to women and children through mid-day-meals and Anganwadis. This programme was completed in the year 2021. He said that under the said programme, the women’s hemoglobin, ferritin, red blood cell folate, serum folate and vitamin B12 were tested.
While appreciating the success of the pilot scheme, Chautala suggested the possibilities of testing its effects and health status of women by taking more samples at different divisional levels in Haryana.
On this occasion, Commissioner and Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal, OSD to Deputy Chief Minister, Sh. Kamlesh Bhadoo and other officers were also present.
