Fact-Finding Report on Distribution of Fortified Rice in Jharkhand

At the end of a 3-day fact-finding visit to Jharkhand by the Right To Food Campaign (RTFC) and Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA-Kisan Swaraj); Greenpeace India is also part of the alliance, team members urged Jharkhand Government to stop distribution of fortified rice in the state immediately. The Fact-Finding Report was released at a press conference in Ranchi at the Ranchi Press Club. The report points to several serious concerns with regard to the indiscriminate distribution of fortified rice to poor households, Anganwadis and schools in the state.

The fact-finding team included Dr Vandana Prasad, a public health expert also associated with the Right To Food Campaign; Kavitha Kuruganti, farmers’ rights activist with ASHA-Kisan Swaraj; Balram and James Herenz of Right to Food Campaign, Jharkhand; Rohin Kumar of Greenpeace India; Soumik Banerjee of ASHA-Kisan Swaraj and Raj Shekhar Singh of Right to Food Campaign National Secretariat. On 8th, 9th and 10th of May 2022 the team visited five villages in Khunti and East Singhbhum districts where they met with PDS beneficiaries, dealers, CHC doctors, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, cooks in Anganwadis and schools, officials and patients in district-level hospitals, one rice mill owner and so on. They met with Jamshedpur East MLA Mr Saryu Roy and Chakuliya MLA Mr Samir Mohanty. Team members also interacted with concerned state-level officials, and also met with Cabinet Minister Dr Rameshwar Oraon.