SUBARNAPUR : Free food chhatua for children and pregnant women is being sold in the market. It has been prepared in low quality using cow feed. In Subarnapur district, a woman has been seen selling chhatua in various villages under the Integrated Child Development Scheme of Birmaharajpur. The State Women and Child Development Scheme provides free chhatua to vulnerable children, pregnant and lactating women through every Anganwadi centre in the state. But the state government has mentioned in the chhatua packet that this chhatua is not intended for sale. But in Birmaharajpur area, every beneficiary is reported to be selling this low-quality chhatua to a particular trader every day in the afternoon. It is known from various sources that this trader sells it in various cow-food shops and chhatua centres. The chhatua is prepared and supplied to the Anganwadi centres by Maa Bhairabi Mission Shakti at Jatesingha in Birmaharajpur block. For many years, complaints have been made to various officials that this chhatua centre is providing low-quality chhatua. District level officials are coming for supervision but they are returning with huge sums of money. Since the chhatua is of very low quality, it is being sold for animal consumption instead of human consumption. Wheat grains are mostly found in chhatua. It is supposed to be prepared with a mixture of whole wheat, sugar and groundnut.But wheat and a little sugar are being added. Everything will be revealed if a high level investigation is conducted.
Allegation of distribution of low-quality chhatua in Birmaharajpur
