Odisha Assembly Calls for Quality Check on 'Chhatua' Distributed to Children

Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy has directed Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida to provide a statement concerning actions against agencies distributing inferior 'Chhatua' to children in Anganwadi centres. This directive follows allegations by MLAs about the poor quality of the food item supplied under the state's supplementary nutrition programme.

Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy has directed Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida to provide a statement on actions taken against agencies distributing inferior quality 'Chhatua' to children in Anganwadi centres.

The directive was issued following allegations from several MLAs that sub-standard 'Chhatua' is being distributed under the state's supplementary nutrition programme over the past five years. The Speaker instructed Parida to disclose the programmes undertaken to monitor the quality and actions against erring agencies.

BJP MLA Padmalochan Panda raised concerns that the previous BJD government had distributed sub-standard 'Chhatua' for 24 years, benefiting corrupt suppliers. Senior Congress legislator Taraprasad Bahinipati also criticized the poor quality and called for alternative nutritional food. Deputy Chief Minister Parida assured that the quality of 'Chhatua' would be checked statewide and the findings will be presented to the House.

(With inputs from agencies.)