Supply of organic jaggery powder to anganwadis to be stopped, regular jaggery from October

BENGALURU: After concerns were raised about the health of children in anganwadis which are supplied with organic jaggery powder, and calls for tests, Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar has directed switching over to regular jaggery cubes or balls.

The organic jaggery powder packets were seen to contain black particles and these were being given to anganwadi children and pregnant and nursing women. This had led to concern about how safe the organic jaggery powder is and the child rights commission had suggested tests on samples. Public TV too conducted a reality check on the quality of the organic jaggery supplied to anganwadi kendras.

Child rights commission chairman Naganna Gowda said they have sent some samples for testing at CFTRI in Mysuru.

Child rights commission chairman Naganna Gowda said, “The jaggery powder supplied to anganwadi kendra is given as nutritional supplement and are supposed to be organic. It would be better is they are test at CFTRI and we have sent some samples there. The Justice (retd) A N Gopala Gowda committee had also reviewed the food provided at anganwadis and made some suggestions to the government. Based on the CFTRI report, future steps should be taken. If anganwadis receive substandard food items, they should sent it back”.

Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said regular jaggery will be supplied from October itself.

Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said, “The organic jaggery powder was introduced more than one-and-half-years ago. Now, there is a demand for regular jaggery cubes or balls, so we will change it. The tests on the samples are positive, but if parents don’t want it, we will start providing cubes from next month itself”.