Scandal Unveiled: TTD's Ghee Procurement Under Scrutiny

A commission report reveals systemic failures in TTD's procurement of over 70 lakh kg of ghee for laddus, highlighting the lack of mandatory quality checks, suppressed lab reports, and diluted tender norms. Non-compliant firms allegedly benefited from relaxed rules, while independent oversight and testing were compromised, leading to adulteration concerns.

The Andhra Pradesh government's one-man commission shed light on glaring discrepancies in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams' (TTD) procurement of ghee, a key ingredient for the famed laddus. Consequently, over 70 lakh kg of ghee was acquired without due quality checks, raising alarm over possible adulteration.

According to the commission, led by retired IAS officer Dinesh Kumar, systemic administrative failures allowed suppliers to bypass mandatory safety tests. These lapses were compounded by suppressed laboratory reports confirming adulteration, paving the way for suppliers to offer adulterated ghee to TTD without repercussions.

The probe identified multiple governance oversights, including relaxed tender norms, lack of proper equipment for testing, and reliance on the lowest bid pricing strategy, all of which undermined the integrity of the procurement process. This has prompted calls for immediate reform and stricter enforcement mechanisms.