New Delhi, February 2nd, 2012

The Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of its findings on the malfunctioning in the implementation of Integrated Child development Services (ICDS), Project in district Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The Commission has sent its comments on the Action Taken Report of the State Government on its findings along with the Analysts' Reports to the State Chief Secretary seeking comments in the matter within four weeks.
According to findings of the Commission, the factory of M/s Great Value Foods, which was supplying the food for ICDS Project in Gorakhpur, did not stock all the ingredients of the food. Further, the food was being prepared in a converted flour mill under unhygienic conditions.
The Analyst's Report No. 2481 indicated that the quality of food was not up to the mark. The sample of the food contained wheat starches only. The starches of maize and Ragi were not found in the sample.
The Analyst's Report No. 2482 also indicted that the sample of rice and soya powder used in the manufacture of baby food were adulterated. It was observed that the U.P. Government did not follow the directions of the Supreme Court for decentralization of the procurement of the baby food.
The information collected from DPO of Gorakhpur, and beneficiaries, Anganwadi workers indicated that the bags of the food were diverted and sold as cattle food.
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