A virtual roundtable meeting was held recently to discuss and plan for the implementation of food fortification in Meghalaya.
The meeting was chaired by Chief Secretary M S Rao and organised by the Commissionerate of Food, Safety (Health and Family Welfare) in collaboration with the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
It was suggested to include fortified edible oil and salt in fair price shops, as this will ensure availability of fortified oils and salt for the vulnerable in the population, and also other safety net programmes.
The Commissionerate of Food, Safety was tasked with developing a plan to promote procurement and production of fortified staples in the open markets, while the departments of Education, Social Welfare and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs have been asked to develop a clear action plan with definite timeframe to start implementing food fortification in the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services and Public Distribution System respectively.
In his keynote address, Rao stated that food fortification is a cost-effective strategy to eradicate the problem of micronutrient malnutrition and advised that the procurement of fortified wheat flour, edible oil, rice and salt should be encouraged in the various safety net programmes, a press release said today.
