TTD asks KMF to supply more ghee to prepare Tirupati laddus
Bengaluru: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) trust has restarted sourcing the cow ghee ‘Nandini’, manufactured by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), following the recent outbreak of a controversy alleging the use of adulterated ghee containing animal fat in the Tirupati laddus.
While the trust had been using only ‘Nandini’ ghee produced by KMF for decades, the last few years had seen private dairies being awarded contracts to supply ghee to TTD to prepare the laddus. In the aftermath of the controversy, which affected the trust severely, however, TTD opted to restart the procurement of pure cow ghee from KMF, reports Times of India.
KMF was awarded tenders to supply 350 tonnes of ghee to TTD during the next three months and sent its first consignment from Bengaluru to Tirumala on September 20. As the TTD used up to 250 tonnes of the cow ghee in the production of laddus already, it has asked KMF to send an additional 250 tonnes of the ghee to Tirumala.
MK Jagadish, Managing Director of KMF, has confirmed that KMF received the request from TTD for ghee on Thursday and clarified that, as per the latest tender, the supply of additional ghee would be made at the same cost. The TTD was currently paying Rs 475 per kg of ghee to KMF. He also said that the corporation had a stock of about 7,500 tonnes of ghee and was equipped to supply as much as required to TTD at present.
To ensure the safe delivery of pure cow ghee to TTD, the KMF has installed GPS trackers on all its tankers transporting the product to Tirumala, the MD said.
The TTD Executive Oficer J Syamala Rao, who stressed that the trust would not compromise on the quality of ghee, said that the KMF would be asked for more ghee if necessary. The officer added that fresh tenders were being floated for additional ghee supply for preparation of the Tirupati laddus.
As the Karnataka state government has mandated the use of ‘Nandini’ ghee for preparation of the offering (prasada) and other food items given to devotees, KMF is now flooded with orders from several religious institutions and temples across the state. In addition, the KMF is supplying 2,500 tonnes of ghee for retail and other purposes, said KMF MD Jagadish. The Federation has additionally stocked up 6,000 tonnes of butter to cater to a possible hike in demand in the domestic market and is confident of not falling short of ghee supply at any point in time, the MD added.
KMF sources raw material only from the milk unions of the Kolar-Chikkaballapur region for Nandini ghee, which was popular on account of its viscous quality, purity, and distinct aroma. It had been the only choice of TTD used in the preparation of the Tirupati laddus, till the trust handed contracts to other firms too, recently.
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For a change: News18 Anchor Amish Devgan trolls BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla during live debate
New Delhi: In an unexpected turn of events during a live debate on News18 India, anchor Amish Devgan, who is often perceived as a supporter of the BJP, took a humorous dig at BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla. The exchange occurred during a discussion about Ashok Tanwar’s last-minute entry into the Congress, just hours after he had campaigned for the BJP during the Haryana elections.
While defending the BJP, Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of trying to win elections by inducting BJP leaders into their party. He claimed that the Congress was relying on BJP leaders to secure electoral success.
In a surprising move, Devgan, who is typically seen as favorable to the BJP and PM Modi’s government, challenged Poonawalla with a series of pointed questions. In a light-hearted yet sharp manner, Devgan questioned Poonawalla’s credibility on the matter by reminding him that several BJP leaders, including Ashok Chavan and Jitin Prasada, had previously been in the Congress before switching sides.
Devgan further pressed Poonawalla by asking him which party he had originally belonged to before joining the BJP, referencing Poonawalla’s own history as a former Congress member.
BREAKING 🚨
— Amock (@y0geshtweets) October 6, 2024
Amish Devgan schooled BJP spokesperson on his face about Ashok Tanwar joining INC just before election.
Look at Shehzad Poonawalla’s face; he miserably failed to defend his party.
This is just the beginning; many more will come after October 8😂🔥 pic.twitter.com/glqbUZOxu2
