Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network–Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Oct 20: Department of women and child welfare is supplying multi-grain Nutrimix through Anganwady for children between 6 months and 3 years to prevent malnutrition. However 70% of it is used as cattle fodder.

Nutrimix is prepared with fried wheat, fried rice, green grams, fried grams, sugar and cardamom. It is being manufactured in one kg packet in several food production units in the district. Each child in the Anganwady gets three kilograms of Nutrimix.

Some of Anganwady workers have cited lapses in production because of which these children complain of lack of taste in Nutrimix. So they refuse to consume it. The product is supposed to be consumed within four months. It is alleged that the taste changes within ten days. The wheat and rice in it is apparently not being fried properly. As it is raw, it spoils the taste. Therefore the parents of children do not like to take it home.

KDP member Umesh Bolanthur brought it to the notice of district-in- charge minister Ramanath Rai in its recent tri-monthly meeting. The minister asked the officials to verify the loopholes.

An Anganwady worker who did not like to be identified said that the packets are supplied by the department. “We distribute them to parents of children studying in Anganwadys. But the parents refuse to take them, saying that the children do not eat it. Therefore we force parents who have cattle to take them home for cattle as our figures have to tally,” she said.