Khurda: Children as well as pregnant and lactating women in the district here are being provided with substandard sattu (nutrition supplement) through the Anganwadi centres, alleged social activists and locals.
The social activists have cited an RTI reply that claimed that two women self-help groups (SHGs) in the district have been excluded from sattu preparation in connection with the supply of low quality food supplement to Anganwadi centres.
As per the RTI reply, Mahamaya SHG of Banpur Mangarajpur has been disengaged from the preparation of sattu in 2017-18 financial year. Similarly, Maa Kalika SHG of Bolgarh Siula has also been excluded from sattu production in 2018-19 fiscal.
As per the guidelines, children between the age group of six months and three years are provided with four kilograms of sattu each per month through the Anganwadi centres under the Special Nutrition Programme (SNP). Similarly, pregnant and lactating women are supplied with five kilograms of sattu each per month under the SNP.
The state government has engaged several women SHGs to prepare sattu. The SHGs have been told to mix wheat, gram and groundnut flours with sugar in a certain proportion to prepare the sattu.
However, most of the women SHGs in the district here do not stick to the official advice while preparing sattu. It has been alleged that these SHGs often use rice flour to prepare the nutrition supplement.
Moreover, most of the SHGs do not mention the manufacturing dates on the sattu packet. So, a few SHGs supply stale sattu to Anganwadi centres, sources said.
“Massive irregularities in the preparation of sattu would come to fore if the officials concerned would inspect SHGs and check their records with regard to the purchase of raw materials,” said a social activist.
Former Zilla Parishad member Rudra Bhanu Narendrasingh claimed that the issue of low quality sattu has been raised at the district council meeting several times but authorities are yet to launch a probe in this regard.
District social welfare officer Mohini Sahu said that child development project officers (CDPOs) regularly send sattu samples to laboratories to check their quality. “We are open to launch a probe into the issue of poor quality sattu if someone lodges a formal complaint with us,” she added.