Human body needs immunity, and in the same manner immunity needs fortification. Any amount of fortification systematically strengthens the system well. Oil being a necessity of our daily life, would be a perfect nutrient source if proper fortification were invested in it. The Government of Rajasthan has started a new chapter in curbing the malnutrition problem of the State by introducing mandatory enrichment of cooking oil. On 24th Feb at Jaipur, Manure and Civil Supplies Minister of Rajasthan Mr. Hemant Bhadana stated that, “for healthy life, fortified oil is necessary.” He appreciated the attention this concern got from the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and invited more focus to build upon it in order to sell fortified oil in the state of Rajasthan. To solidify his approach, Mr. Bhadana took this opportunity to read out Chief Minister Raje’s budget speech, which discussed the official introduction of the fortified oil, wheat flour and doubly fortified salt among other budget announcements.
Since healthy body mobilizes healthy mind, urgent measures are needed, which can act as elements for both. Introduction of Fortified Oil in the state is a vital step in this direction. The main deficiencies that affect the state of Rajasthan are of Vitamin A, Vitamin D and other such minerals. To fill in these scarcities, use of fortified oil is a must and surely the end result would just increase the human immunity. It is a common false assumption that such deficiencies can occur only in poor and rural people. In a way, fortified oil’s universal usage rule nullifies this assumption completely and also rectifies this mistaken ideology. Fortification of all such day-to-day essentials is helpful for stable and progressive health of the public because everyone fundamentally consumes these elements in their routine diets.
What is required to make the sale of fortified products successful is the cooperation of Oil Millers, Re-Packers and Oil Businessmen to come together and make a tri-party which will benefit each one of them individually to some extent and the general public to a greater extent. Because to overcome the big problem of malnutrition, great deal of support is called for.
Head of Oil Traders Association, Mr. Krishna Kumar Agarwal, on behalf of his team has openly offered full support with this venture of the Rajasthan Government. Other than him various Oil industry leaders have come forward to ask for acceleration in promoting the awareness of fortified oil. People should know that in the territory around 25,000 Metric ton of oil is being fortified per month. This will be further supplied through more than 300 Annapurna Bhandars available in the territory. Let’s hope that Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje is able to tackle the malice of malnutrition to some extent through this innovative move.
