Uttar Pradesh government will provide Meerut and nine other districts with salt fortified with iron and iodine free of cost, under a pilot project to be launched soon. The salt will be made available through the public distribution system (PDS) and will also be used in government food programmes including the midday meal scheme.

Families possessing below poverty line (BPL) ration cards and Antyodaya Yojana cards will benefit from this scheme. For starters, two kilos of the salt will be provided per card. An attempt to curb widespread anaemia among children and women due to iron and iodine deficiency has prompted the move, sources said.