India requires a comprehensive National Salt Policy to achieve 100% Universal Salt Iodization (USI) and to address the numerous issues faced by the salt industry, industry experts said on Monday (5 January) at the India Salt Summit 2015 held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

"For India to achieve 100% USI, a national level policy is a must," said, M A Ansari, former Salt Commissioner of India. Similar views were echoed by P N Rao, senior general manager, GHCL Limited; Rizwan Yusufali, Manager of the Salt Iodization Programme, GAIN; and Kapil Yadav, assistant professor, Indian Coalition for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD).

Currently, 71% of Indian households consume salt with adequate iodine content while 20% consume salt with some iodine, while the remaining 9% consume salt without any iodine, according to the experts.

India Salt Services Cooperative Federation (ISSCF) was inaugurated at the summit, a body comprising salt manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and other industry sectors. This federation will provide platform for iodized salt manufacturers not having access to all consumers and vice-versa.

A comprehensive document proposing a Technology Upgrade Fund Scheme (TUFS) for the salt sector and framing the Salt Policy will be created by industry stakeholders after the Summit, which will later be submitted to the Central government and respective state governments.