Odisha: The Odisha government has announced the launch of a new scheme to boost the nutrition of school children. State Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Minister Gokulananda Mallick on Tuesday said the government is considering including fortified milk in the midday meal scheme. Under the scheme, school children will be provided 200 ml of vitamin A and D-rich milk per day.

President launches 'Gift Milk' initiative.
The statement came after President Draupadi Murmu virtually launched the 'Gift Milk' initiative of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district. Under the initiative, about 1,184 students in 29 schools in Rairangpur will get the benefit of this milk. In the first phase, the program has been implemented in 200 villages of Mayurbhanj district. Minister Mallick said that if the pilot project is successful, it will be implemented across the state.

44.5 lakh children get mid-day meal

Currently, 44.5 lakh children in 51,500 primary and upper primary schools in Odisha are being provided cooked food under the mid-day meal scheme. Under the new scheme, fortified milk will be added to further improve the nutrition level.

Help for dairy farmers.

The state government is also taking major steps to uplift dairy farmers. The minister informed that 3,000 high-quality cows from Gujarat will be distributed among the farmers of Mayurbhanj district. This initiative is being operated under the National Gokul Mission, for which a budget of Rs 38 crore has been set.

Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Yojana

The Odisha government is committed to promoting dairy and animal husbandry in the state under the 'Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Yojana'. Under this scheme, a five-year project will be run with a budget of Rs 1,423.47 crore. The scheme will encourage small dairy units, provide subsidized feed for calves, increase livestock insurance coverage, and strengthen dairy cooperatives.

The minister said these initiatives are aimed not only at improving the nutritional levels of children but also at strengthening the rural economy by making dairy farmers self-reliant. These schemes of the government are expected to increase milk production in the state.

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