Mangalore, 01 August 2013: Milk is essential for the integral growth of a baby. The state administration has declared a war on social injustice and malnutrition. Accordingly, the state government has decided to provide milk to the students of Anganawady and schools. I am grateful to those who inspired me in this mission, said the state forest and Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge minister B Ramanat Rai.
The minister Rai was speaking after distributing milk to the students of Anganawady and schools that was held at Government Model Higher Primary School, Gandhi Nagar, here on Thursday August 1. It was jointly organized by ZP public instructins department, Akshara Dasoha, women and child welfare department and Dakshina Kannada Milk Producers Union Limited (DKMUL).
The programme is aimed at creating social justice to economically-weaker students and to eradicate malnutrition, which would empower the poor students to grow healthy, strong and intelligent. Both union and state government is committed to provide mid-day hot meals and milk to enable the students to excel in studies and sports, said minister Rai.
The minister Rai further said that it’s a fact that a few troubles will crop up while implementing the milk distribution programme, while the department can effectively face them, said minister Rai.
The teachers and Anganawady animators play key role in shaping future of students. There are more number of Ananganawady in his home constituency of Bantwal, which are opened under Samagra Bala Vikasa Yojana, which is the second highest in the entire nation, added minister Rai.
The free milk will be supplied to the students of all Anganawady, Government, aided Primary and High Schools, 3 days of the week, stressed minister Rai.
DKMUL chairman Raviraj Hegde in his presidential address said that DKMUL has take the entire responsibility of supplying milk powder. It will supply 5,795 kiloograms of full cream milk powder daily to 2,488 schools in DK, to prepare 47,526 liters of milk that would be distributed to 3,16,845 students. Besides, 5,795 kilograms of full cream milk powder will be supplied to 3,248 Anganawady centers, to prepare 21,447 liters of milk that will be distributed to 1,42,981 students through Child and Women Welfare Office, said Hegde.
Hegde further said that the handbills to prepare milk out of full cream milk powder will be supplied free to all Anganawady and schools. In the past, milk used to be sourced from Maharashtra as DK district was dependent on them, while now DK is self suffient in this regard.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) N Prakash, ZP deputy secretary T N Sasidar, corporator Sasidar Hegde and others were present at the occasion.