The MPs also visited tribal areas in several states, including Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, to assess government food schemes, including the mid-day meal plan and the Integrated Child Development Scheme. But it was Gujarat’s fortification plan that emerged as a “definite do-able.”

Said BJD’s Jay Panda, one of the alliance members: “We have begun to realize that the government can undertake certain things to help the situation. For example, fortification in Gujarat is a cheap and effective way of tackling hunger. These are things that need to be scaled up immediately.”

Fortification enables adding additional Vitamin A, D, iron and folic acid to food products — which lose these nutrients while milling, extracting or processing — so that without changing the quantity of food, the consumer can get micronutrients normally lacking in their daily diet. In Gujarat today, edible oil fortified with Vitamin A and D and wheat flour fortified with iron and folic acid is available both in the open market in the state as well as in government programmes like ICDS and mid-day meals.

Two years ago, the state government launched a public awareness programme on fortification with oil producers, refineries and packers along with the Roller Flour Millers’ Association and its member mills. “The fortification in Gujarat did not begin with government schemes or PDS but began with the open market as a public-private partnership,” said S K Nanda, principal secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Gujarat, while giving his presentation.

... contd.