Madhya Pradesh: Govt firm caught adulterating food for pregnant mothers, children

The Madhya Pradesh Agro Industries, a state government undertaking, has been found to be adulterating food meant for pregnant and lactating mothers, and malnourished children between the ages of three and six years.

An India Today investigation found over 500 sacks of dried peas at the Badi Bareli plant of the MP Agro Industries where ready-to-eat nutritious food is prepared. Dried peas are a cheap alternative to grams that have to be mandatorily used for preparing the food.

While the price of lowest grade chana dal is anywhere between Rs 70 and Rs 80 a kilo that of dried green peas is in the range of Rs 30-35 a kilo.

The Raisen plant is fully owned and operated by the state government. Unlike in many plants there are no food inspectors posted in the plant.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The ready-to-eat food is supplied to the Department of Women and Child Welfare which then disburses it to 96,000 anganwadis across the state. From the anganwadis the food is distributed to needy women and children.

The state's women and child welfare department has an annual budget of Rs 590 crore for providing nutritious food under the Integrated Child Development Scheme and 50 per cent of the money comes from the centre. The department has outsourced production of nutritious food to the MP Agro Industries.

The nutritious food has an approved list of ingredients but dried green peas is not on the list. When India Today asked the plant supervisor Sonu Sejkar why over 500 sacks of green peas were lying at the plant he had no answer. "I don't know how these sacks have come here. I'm new. I joined just a month back," he said.

Archana Chitnis, Minister of Women and Child Welfare, promised to look into the matter. "There is a specified list of ingredients that has to be strictly followed. If that is not being followed and cheap alternatives are being used I will look into it," she said.

The government of Madhya Pradesh hopes to bring down malnutrition and improve its infant and child mortality rates. Only approved ingredients can be used in the preparation of the pre-mixes.

WHAT GOES INTO THE MIX

The approved list of ingredients are as follows:

For roasted blended bal aahar pre-mix the ingredients are wheat flour, defatted soya flour, sugar, chana dal, milk powder and refined vegetable oil.

For blended halwa mix the ingredients approved are wheat flour, defatted soya flour, sugar, besan and refined vegetable oil.

For roasted blended khichdi mix the approved ingredients include rice, defatted soya grit, moong dal, masala and edible oil.

For roasted blended gehu soya barfi the approved ingredient list includes wheat flour, defatted soya flour, sugar, besan, maize flour and refined vegetable oil.

For the roasted blended Nutri laddoo pre-mix the approved ingredient list includes rice, defatted soya grit, moong dal, masala and edible oil.