Maharashtra Stops White Pea Supply to Anganwadis Over Cooking Complaints

Maharashtra's Integrated Child Development Services department has stopped the supply of white peas to anganwadis across the state after workers reported that the pulses remained hard even after hours of soaking and pressure-cooking. The department has ordered that white peas be replaced with good-quality green peas under the hot cooked meal scheme.

The directive came following multiple complaints from anganwadi staff and field officials regarding the poor quality of white peas. In response, the State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd., which provides raw food materials to rural anganwadis across Maharashtra, was instructed to halt the supply.

Madhavi Sardeshmukh, commissioner of ICDS Maharashtra, issued a letter stating that the issue had been brought to the department's notice and referenced prior guidelines regarding food grain supply for hot cooked meals. District programme officers and child development project officers were directed to ensure existing stocks of white peas are replaced with green peas without causing interruptions to daily meal services.

Anganwadi staff noted that the issue had persisted for months, disrupting planned menus and causing meal delays. Workers reported soaking the peas for over 12 hours and pressure-cooking them for eight to 12 whistles, yet the peas remained too hard to serve to children.

Following the decision, school teachers' groups also called for similar changes in school meal programmes. Vijay Kombe, state president of the Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Committee, stated that white peas supplied to schools were often of inferior quality, failed to cook properly, lacked nutritional value, and were frequently left uneaten by students.