Aiming at providing a nutritional diet to school students, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has asked Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan governments to consider distributing free milk to schoolchildren as part of the ongoing mid-day meal scheme.
In a letter written to Chief Ministers of the above states, Singh has said that Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have already implemented it to raise <g data-gr-id="40">nutritional</g> level of children. He added that the availability of free milk product schemes will help improve the health of schoolchildren.
The Centre believes that the move will also help milk cooperatives, largely owned by farmers, by providing “ready and steady market for their produce”.
The minister, in the letter, has said that the State Milk Federation has surplus stock of skimmed milk powder and in the interest of milk producers, the cooperatives have continued procuring milk, but they are working under severe constraint of working capital.
“You may be aware of <g data-gr-id="32">school</g> milk scheme running successfully across the developed world, which encourages children to consume dairy products and follow a balanced diet regime. Milk, yoghurt, cheese, buttermilk and other dairy products, which are important from the point of view of good nutrition and balanced diet, are provided to schoolchildren under the programme,” Singh said.
Karnataka’s project Ksheerabhagya, which started in 2012-13, is aimed at supplying milk to schools, thereby, ensuring hygienic and nutritious food to children. The scheme continues to progress and give good results. Madhya Pradesh, too, had launched a similar scheme, wherein free milk is provided to schoolchildren.