Sub-standard food at AP anganwadis

Children of lesser god? CAG said a social audit by Council for Social Development, New Delhi, at 154 AWCs in Anantapur district found that during September-November 2008, the 'ready-to-cook mixes'were "unpalatable." There was not even a system of checking expiry of food items Bringing into focus the lack of checks and balances in the Supplementary Nutrition Programme under the government's flagship ICDS scheme, a CAG audit has said that sub-standard food was being distributed by Anganwadi centres in at least three states, including Andhra Pradesh. The programme implemented by the Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry aims to combat the problem of malnutrition in the country by providing dietary supplements to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.In its 22nd report of 2012-13, which was tabled in parliament earlier in the week, the CAG has said that distribution of sub-standard food by the Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) had been found in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana. The audit report said that a social audit conducted by the Council for Social Development, New Delhi, at 154 AWCs of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh had found that during September-November 2008 the 'ready to cook mixes' were "unpalatable". The auditor also claimed that on physical inspection it was found that some of the items had sticky texture which became inedible within minutes after preparation. "In 18 test-checked AWCs children were reported to have fallen ill after consuming it. The supplier M/s A P Foods continued to supply these mixes till November 2011, despite reports about the beneficiaries disliking the food in two test-checked Projects," the CAG report said.