The Haryana government has decided to distribute fortified mustard oil through Public Distribution System (PDS) at the rate of two liters per month per family from 1 September.

To begin with Ambala and Karnal would be covered under this scheme. Besides, it would be ensured that the only fortified edible oil is available in the open market through HAFED from November 2018 onward.

Fortification means deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in food to improve its quality.

In a letter written to Member of NITI Aayog Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the state government is fully committed to improving the health and nutritional status of its citizens especially the women and children.

“We have therefore, been proactively addressing the problem of micro-nutrient deficiencies,” he said while assuring all support of the state government to any endeavour towards solving the major health concern of undernutrition.

The CM said the state government has started a pilot project of distribution of fortified wheat flour under PDS in two blocks of Ambala district in March 2017 and also under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in June 2017.

“Encouraged by its success, we have decided to scale it up to two districts namely Ambala and Karnal from September 2018, both under PDS and ICDS. It would be expanded to the entire state by December, 2018,” Khattar said.

He said that milk fortification with Vitamin A and D2 was started in all six milk plants in the state in 2016. The fortification is being done as per Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) standards and the State has recently been accredited with the F+ logo for it.

He said under the ICDS, the state government started fortification of Panjeeri (Iron, Vitamin B12 and folic acid) in Karnal district in 2016. The double fortified salt is already compulsory being used throughout the State both under ICDS and Mid-Day Meal.

Apart from this, fortified edible oil (cotton-seed and soyabean) is being used in five districts under ICDS namely Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Karnal and Gurugram.

This would be extended to all remaining districts by September, 2018. In addition, it has recently been made mandatory to use only fortified edible oil in Mid Day Meal, Khattar added.