The five aspirational districts in Rajasthan have geared up to improve nutritional status of children with the distribution of fortified rice through midday meal scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). The initiative will be launched from April this year.
Fortified rice will be supplied from the godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) with the estimates of 4,551 metric tonnes for midday meal scheme and 77,736 metric tonnes for ICDS.
The five aspirational districts selected in the State by NITI Aayog are Baran, Dholpur, Jaisalmer, Karauli and Sirohi.
Food and Civil Supplies Secretary Naveen Jain said here on Wednesday that the fortified rice would have sufficient contents of iron, zinc, vitamins B1 and B12 and folic acid as well as micronutrients. The distribution of fortified rice at Anganwadi centres would help remove malnutrition among children and women, he said.
Pregnancy care
Some other districts in the State are likely to be included in the next two phases of the programme. An online pregnancy and child care system is already operative in the aspirational districts, for which the development partners, such as UNICEF and UNFPA, are rendering technical assistance.
