Mangaluru: MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha directed the officials from Department of Public Instruction not to procure chickpea from Karnataka Food Corporation under Akshara Dasoha scheme as the chickpea is of poor quality.

They were speaking at a meeting on the implementation of Akshara Dasoha scheme in Mangaluru on Wednesday.

Dakshina Kannada district Akshara Dasoha project coordinator Rajalakshmi said that chickpea supplied is full of stones, there are worms as well, which is not good for consumption. She said that tur dal was used for the preparation of food under mid-day meal scheme the last six days.

With the rise in price of tur dal, it was decided to prepare curry using tur dal for four days, chickpea sambar for a day and supplu palav on the another day. The chickpea supplied is of poor quality, making it difficult for use. As tur dal prices have now reduced, it has been decided to use tur dal for sambar for all the six days.

Replying to it, officials from the Department of Food and Civil Supplies said that chickpea is procured through e-tender of National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX).

Rajalakshmi said that the district has 1,68,695 children pursuing studies from first to 10th standard in government and aided schools – of them, 1,64,164 are availing the benefit of the mid-day meal programme. A total of 1,68,420 children are benefited under Ksheera Bhagya scheme.

Two temples supply mid-day meals to 1,496 students while the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) supplies food for 15,129 children in the district, she explained.

She said that a sum of Rs 50.54 crore was sanctioned to Dakshina Kannada district for 2016-17 under Akshara Dasoha scheme. A sum of Rs 37.91 crore has been released so far, of which Rs 20.82 crore has been utilised. Last year, Rs 10 crore remained unutilised.

The official said that 2,596.72 tonne rice was procured from Karnataka Food Corporation. All the schools have kitchen rooms. In addition, the cooks use aprons and caps while preparing the food to ensure cleanliness. The schools have been promoted to set up kitchen gardens to cultivate vegetables.

DC Dr K G Jagadeesha directed the officials to test the food prepared in all schools and avail reports. The schools should issue circulars to check contamination of food.

ZP deputy secretary N R Umesh, Food and Civil Supplies deputy director Jayappa and DHO Dr M Ramakrishna Rao were present.