Fortified Wheat Flour Launched in Ladakh PDS

Leh/Jammu, Dec 18 (PTI) The people of Ladakh will get fortified wheat flour through the Public Distribution System (PDS) with the Advisor Ladakh, Dr Pawan Kotwal, launching the facility on Monday.

The fortified wheat flour, which will be distributed through the PDS in the Union Territory, was launched at a programme organised by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department at Kangri mill in Chuchot Gongma area in Leh district.

Addressing the gathering, Kotwal said the Centre is providing fortified rice to the entire country through the PDS this year onwards.

"Additionally in Ladakh, fortified wheat flour will be available to the whole populace, like in a few other states such as Himachal Pradesh," he said.

The main objective of fortified wheat flour is to eradicate the deficiency of iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, which is alarmingly high in Ladakh as compared to the whole country.

Quoting the NFHS data, he said more than 95 per cent of the population, including children and adults have been found anemic in Ladakh.

Further, he said to supplement the micronutrient needs, especially of pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children, the administration is distributing iron and folic acid supplements free of cost in the form of tablets.

Kotwal said he is hopeful that fortified wheat flour will help bring down micronutrient deficiency in Ladakh.