On the importance of iodine in our body:
Iodine serves as a raw material for making thyroxin, a hormone, which is produced by the thyroid gland. Since iodine and thyroxin are required for the development of the brain, the single most important cause of mental retardation today is iodine deficiency. It is also the single most preventable cause. Various studies have shown that iodine deficiency is not merely a cosmetic problem but a problem of child survival and child development.

On the status of iodine deficiency in the last 10 years in India:
The current status of iodine deficiency is that it is not too widespread. The government has carried out, through its national and state level machinery, various surveys in different parts of the country. In the early 1980s, surveys showed that goitre was a public health hazard. Lack of iodine in the body was cited as the single most important cause of the disease. Subsequently, the Government of India launched a campaign to supply iodised salt.

Initially, the policy was to supply iodised salt to only those districts which had Iodine Deficiency Disorders ( idd ). But as the entire country was at the risk of idd , universal iodised salt was taken up in 1984. The campaign for iodine helped to a large extent in improving the situation of iodine deficiency in various parts of India. These disorders have been progressively on the decline.

On how the demand for iodine can be met for the whole country:
Today 93 per cent of the iodised salt is made in the private sector. The requirement of iodised salt is about five million metric tonnes. The private sector's participation is an excellent example of partnership between private sector and government in terms of solving the public health problem.

On the negative health effects of iodine deficiency:
Iodine deficiency leads to a number of disorders