Bhubaneswar: In a move aiming at supplementing nutrition of students, the Odisha government is planning to include 200 ml of fortified milk daily under the mid-day meals scheme, informed Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokula Nanda Mallik. 

Making the announcement a day after President Droupadi Murmu virtually launched the Giftmilk programme among other initiatives of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (OMFED) in Rairangpur block of Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, Mallik said the move, where 200 ml of flavored milk fortified with Vitamin A and D will be provided in mid-day meals, aims at addressing malnutrition among schoolchildren. 

As many as 1,184 students in 29 schools of 200 villages will benefit from the NDDB's Giftmilk programme, the Minister said. He further added that Rs 38 crore will be expended under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission launched by NDDB in Mayurbhanj, where 3,000 high-quality dairy cows will be distributed across 26 blocks in the district. Of these, 1,000 beneficiaries in Rairangpur sub-division will get one cow each. The cows, which will be sourced from Gujarat, will be distributed to dairy farmers in Mayurbhanj to improve genetic quality of local cattle breeds and ensure higher quality milk production and productivity. 

Mallik said the measures are a part of Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Odisha to ensure economic empowerment for women, tribals and other marginalised communities. Further, the Mukhyamantri Kamadhenu Yojana launched by the Odisha government, will provide 70 per cent (pc) financial assistance to farmers for rearing indigenous cattle breeds, like Gir and Sahiwal, known for their high milk production.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who had also virtually attended the NDDB's programme launch in Rairangpur, from Rashtrapati Bhawan on Monday, had stated that the Kamadhenu Yojana, which is a five-year initiative with a budget of Rs 1,423.47 crore aimed at boosting milk production, will also support small dairy units, provide subsidized calf feed, enhance livestock insurance coverage, and strengthen dairy cooperatives,

In addition, the scheme includes insurance coverage for cattle and buffaloes, offering financial security to farmers. The state government bears 85 pc of the insurance premium, making it more accessible to farmers, he had said. 

Reiterating the CM's statement, Mallik said the measures are part of ensuring self-sufficiency for dairy farmers and ensuring financial stability to the community. 

Lauding the efforts of the NDDB's Rashtriya Gokul Mission during the launch, President Murmu had said while India boasts of a diverse range of livestock breeds and has seen significant growth in the last decade, a lot more can be done to promote animal husbandry

Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Rajeev Ranjan Singh were also present at the event.