Government sets up panel to frame food fortification policy

NEW DELHI: The government has constituted a committee to formulate a comprehensive policy on food fortification, Lok Sabha was informed today.

"The ministry has constituted a committee to suggest formulation of a comprehensive policy and draft legislation/ regulation on food fortification under the chairpersonship of Director, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad," Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said in a written reply.

She said a consultation meeting was also held recently with stakeholders to evolve a comprehensive policy and draft legislation/regulation on micronutrient fortification.

"Group of Secretaries on Education and Health-Universal Access and Quality has inter-alia, identified fortification of staple food like rice, wheat, edible oil and milk with iron, folic acid and vitamin-A with a timeline of three years as one of the measures," she said.

Gandhi said the government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several programmes of different ministries through state governments/ UT administrations to address nutrition-related aspects.