Govt school students to get milk only on alternate days

The State government is planning to modify its scheme to supply free milk to government school children. Now, it wants to supply milk every alternate day, instead of on all working days.

It is also planning to supply milk powder instead of milk to schools in some districts where milk cooperative societies do not have a proper reach.

Addressing KPCC general body meeting here on Tuesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government plans to supply milk to school children and children at anganwadi centres every alternate day.

However, the government is yet to announce the date of launch.

The government was forced to introduce the scheme as there was excess milk supply at the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) due to increase in incentives to dairy farmers from Rs two per lite to Rs four per litre.

Animal Husbandry Minister T B Jayachandra had recently cleared the scheme to supply milk every day.

The department had proposed to supply 150 ml of milk daily to each student. Sources said the government is planning to limit the scheme to students from I to V standard as against earlier plans of having it up to X standard.

Districts where the government is planning to supply milk powder are Belgaum, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Bellary and Dharwad.

Supply responsibility

The scheme requires about seven lakh litres of milk every day. It has been proposed that respective milk cooperative societies would have to hand over milk to the schools in their jurisdiction. The school staff would, in turn, boil the milk and supply it to children. It is the responsibility of societies to ensure that milk reaches schools. 

The scheme, as per the Animal Husbandry department's proposal, would cost the State exchequer Rs 550 crore annually. For, the government has to pay the KMF for the supply of milk.

Ever since Siddaramaiah announced a hike in incentive for milk, procurement in KMF has increased from 45 lakh litres per day to 55 lakh litres. The Federation, as a result, has been incurring heavy loss.

Official sources said the government, which is already burdened by increase in various subsidies, is reluctant to take any additional burden by supplying milk every day.

Hence, the scheme is being modified.