Plain milk will no more be given to schoolchildren under the midday meal scheme as the Department of Public Instruction on Wednesday launched the new initiative of distributing flavoured milk under the flagship programme.
This initiative had been launched on a pilot basis in Mysuru and Raichur districts in the State.
A survey conducted by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which supplied milk powder to schools as part of Ksheera Bhagya, found that children were not keen on drinking plain milk and suggested adding flavours to it.
Accordingly, the KMF introduced the milk powder in chocolate and cardamom flavours. Each child will get 18 gram of flavoured milk powder mixed in 150 ml of water.
H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister in-charge of Mysuru district, launched the supply of flavoured milk at the Government Girl’s High School at People’s Park in Nazarabad here on the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava.
More than 2.15 lakh children will benefit from the initiative. Chocolate-flavoured milk will be supplied on the first three days of the week followed by cardamom-flavoured milk on the remaining days.
Ksheera Bhagya was launched about three and half years ago and children in Classes 1 to 10 in government and aided schools were covered under the scheme.
Ramachandra Raje Urs, Education Officer, Akshara Dasoha, Mysuru told The Hindu that flavoured milk powder (around 81,422 kg) had been supplied to all schools in the district for the month of November. There is stock to meet one month’s supply. KMF supplied the powder as per the requirement of each school, he added.
Milk is distributed to the children soon after morning assembly, he said, adding that flavours had been added to the milk powder based on the outcome of a survey done by KMF after speaking to children.
With the launch of flavoured milk, the department has to bear an additional expenditure of ₹14.53 lakh (Mysuru district alone) as the cost of milk powder will go with the addition of flavours. A kg of plain milk powder costs ₹255 plus 5% GST. Now, the flavoured milk powder costs ₹272 plus 5% GST.