• Source:JND
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Tirupati Laddu Row:  The row over the laddus offered to devotees at the renowned Tirupati hill shrine has escalated into a major political. While Andhra Chief Minister Naidu alleged that ghee made of animal fat was being used as an ingredient in the laddus during Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure, the YSRCP chief has denied all the allegations, terming them as 'malicious'. Centre also stepped in to take stock of the sensitive issue associated with the sentiments of thousands of devotees, with the Union Health Ministry demanding a detailed report from the state government.

The Tirupati Tirumala temple serves around 3 lakh laddus daily, which are prepared using 1,400 kilograms of ghee. Other ingredients used in the preparation of Lord Venkateshwara's prasadam are cashew nuts, raisins, cardamoms, gram flour, and sugar.

The temple board, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD, procures these ingredients using the e-auction process, with a cost of around Rs 500 crore. In 2022, the tendering process was shifted to online from offline to reduce human intervention.

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According to an NDTV report, the ghee tankers are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), which ensures a quality check on the procurement. The material is then stored in warehouses spanning two acres near Alipiri in Tirupati, intended for use in prasadam and the temple's free food scheme, the report added.

More than 6,100 tonnes of ghee, 14 tonnes of sugar, 9,200 tonnes of Bengal gram, and 4,680 tonnes of Sona Masoori dal, along with other ingredients such as raisins, cashews, cardamom, and sunflower oil, constitute the yearly procurement at Tirupati temple.

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Who Are Eligible For Tender Application

The agencies registered with the Andhra Pradesh Technological Services are allowed to take part in the online auction. The award of contracts requires the fulfilment of various parameters, such as technical parameters and financial factors. The FSSAI and AGMARK certifications are a must for applying for such agencies.

The ghee, which came in at the eye of the current storm, was supplied by Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd, NDTV reported. Four of their tankers were stopped by authorities over suspicions of adulteration. Samples were taken and the consignment was secured.