Malkangiri: The government has initiated a measure to completely eradicate malnutrition in Malkangiri district. As part of this effort, people will be provided with rice laced with Vitamin-C content.
Reports said, 5 lakh tonnes of rice are annually supplied to consumers and beneficiaries under the public distribution system (PDS) in the district.
It is said that scores of people and children are found to be malnourished as the rice they eat does not have much nutritional values.
In view of this, the state government has signed an agreement with a New Delhi-based company which will mix Vitamin C and calcium in the rice.
Special machines are required to make the rice nutrient.
The civil supplies department had placed an order for these machines for owners of 23 old and 3 new rice mills in the district.
A company-based in Mumbai has supplied such machines, valued at Rs 10 lakh. New machines have been installed at many rice mills while installation work at other mills is underway.
Meanwhile, joint director of the state civil supplies department Ganesh Chandra Pani is camping in Malkangiri and inspecting the installation of machines at rice mills.
The joint secretary has made it clear that millers who will not install these special machines will not be given rice for custom-milling.
Paddy procurement centres will open in the district November 30. The civil supplies department will supply paddy to rice millers.
The millers will lace Vitamin C with the rice which will be disbursed to consumers through the PDS from February.
However, various quarters have wondered if the Vitamin-C-laced rice will help get rid of malnutrition in the district.
PNN