Cabinet approves distribution of fortified rice across Government Schemes
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on April 8 has accorded its approval for supply of fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN [erstwhile Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)] and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of Government of India in all States and Union Territories (UTs) by 2024 in a phased manner.
The entire cost of rice fortification (around Rs. 2,700 crore per annum) would be borne by the Govt. of India as part of food subsidy till its full implementation upto June, 2024.
The following three phases are envisaged for full implementation of the initiative:
Phase-I: Covering ICDS and PM POSHAN in India all over by March, 2022 which is under implementation.
Phase-II: Phase I above plus TPDS and OWS in all Aspirational and High Burden Districts on stunting (total 291 districts) by March 2023.
Phase-Ill: Phase II above plus covering the remaining districts of the country by March 2024.
As part of vigorous implementation efforts, the Department of Food and Public distribution has been coordinating all ecosystem related activities with all relevant stakeholders like State Government / UT, line Ministries/Department, Development Partners, Industries, Research Institutes etc. The FCI and State Agencies are already engaged in procurement of fortified rice and so far nearly 88.65 LMT of fortified rice has been procured for the supply and distribution.
Prime Minister of India in his address on the 75th Independence Day (15th August, 2021) made an announcement on Fortification of Rice so as to provide nutrition to every poor person of the country to overcome malnutrition and lack of essential nutrients in women, children, lactating mothers etc. as it poses major obstacles in their development.
Cabinet approves signing of MoC between India and Japan in Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on April 13 has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Cooperation () signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti and The Ministry of the Environment of Japan in the areas of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management.
A Management Council (MC) will be formed which will be responsible for the implementation of this MoC by formulating detailed activities of collaboration and the monitoring of its progress.
The collaboration with Japan through the MoC shall prove to very fruitful in areas such as Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management and Effective reuse of treated wastewater using Johkasou technology. The decentralized Johkasou systems towards management of wastewater can have greater implications for management of grey/ black water from settlements with coverage under Jal Jeevan Mission as well as the sustainability of sources of fresh water under the mission, besides similar situation under Namami Gange Programme. It will help ULBs to plan better for the complex issue of treating waste water.
A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Department of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of the Environment of Japan in the areas of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management on 19.03.2022.