Stricter Regulations on SHGs After Substandard Chhatua Found in Odisha | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: State govt has taken stringent action against self-help groups (SHG)s producing sub-standard sattu or chhatua under the supplementary nutrition programme (SNP), deputy chief minister Pravati Parida informed the assembly on Saturday.
The measures were taken following findings by the State Food Testing Laboratory that declared THR (take home ration (THR) chhatua samples as sub-standard and unsafe for consumption.
Replying to a question from BJD MLA Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Parida said, “All collectors have been instructed to initiate immediate action against SHGs producing sub-standard chhatua under SNP.”
Strict action was taken against SHGs found guilty of providing sub-standard chhatua, and a showcause notice was issued to 63 child development project officers (CDPO) and 15 women supervisors. Govt also withheld the salary of the Sonepur CDPO for negligence in duty, she said.
Parida, who holds the women and child development portfolio, said five SHGs were diagnosed, with one each in Balasore, Bargarh and Sonepur districts, and two in Jharsuguda district. “A penalty was imposed on 10 SHGs in Jharsuguda and four in Cuttack district. The maximum number of showcause notices were issued to 14 SHGs in Rayagada district, followed by 11 in Koraput,” said Parida.
Following concerns raised by legislators on the supply of substandard chhatua to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, leading to an uproar in the assembly, speaker Surama Padhy directed Parida to take action against agencies supplying sub-standard chhatua.
The department also engaged supervisors in monitoring the mixing of chhatua in THR-making units run by SHGs.
To address the nutritional needs of children and pregnant and lactating women, state govt is also planning to replace chhatua with region-specific food for anganwadi children and millets, official sources said.
Parida also informed the assembly on Saturday that 11,710 children in the state are suffering from malnutrition, while a maximum of 1,460 malnutrition cases were reported from Mayurbhanj district.
The measures were taken following findings by the State Food Testing Laboratory that declared THR (take home ration (THR) chhatua samples as sub-standard and unsafe for consumption.
Replying to a question from BJD MLA Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Parida said, “All collectors have been instructed to initiate immediate action against SHGs producing sub-standard chhatua under SNP.”
Strict action was taken against SHGs found guilty of providing sub-standard chhatua, and a showcause notice was issued to 63 child development project officers (CDPO) and 15 women supervisors. Govt also withheld the salary of the Sonepur CDPO for negligence in duty, she said.
Parida, who holds the women and child development portfolio, said five SHGs were diagnosed, with one each in Balasore, Bargarh and Sonepur districts, and two in Jharsuguda district. “A penalty was imposed on 10 SHGs in Jharsuguda and four in Cuttack district. The maximum number of showcause notices were issued to 14 SHGs in Rayagada district, followed by 11 in Koraput,” said Parida.
Following concerns raised by legislators on the supply of substandard chhatua to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, leading to an uproar in the assembly, speaker Surama Padhy directed Parida to take action against agencies supplying sub-standard chhatua.
The department also engaged supervisors in monitoring the mixing of chhatua in THR-making units run by SHGs.
To address the nutritional needs of children and pregnant and lactating women, state govt is also planning to replace chhatua with region-specific food for anganwadi children and millets, official sources said.
Parida also informed the assembly on Saturday that 11,710 children in the state are suffering from malnutrition, while a maximum of 1,460 malnutrition cases were reported from Mayurbhanj district.
