Supplying milk under Ksheera Bhagya scheme to schoolchildren is likely to cause more financial burden for the state government.
The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) is demanding a hike in the price of milk powder supplied to schools.
After hiking the milk prices by Rs 3 per litre recently, the KMF is now eyeing an increase in the price of milk powder. This was discussed in the recent meeting of the KMF, which is set to submit a proposal to the government.
The Finance department has rejected the proposal submitted by the KMF seeking price hike from the existing Rs 300-plus-GST to Rs 350-plus-GST per kg of milk powder. However, the Federation is all set to submit one more proposal to the government.
According to the sources, it was discussed to increase the price of the milk powder from the present Rs 300 to Rs 375 per kg.
As per the data available from the department of School Education and Literacy, the price of the milk powder was increased in March 2023 from Rs 275 to Rs 300 per kg.
The department is spending around Rs 700 crore annually to implement the Ksheera Bhagya scheme. “If the price goes up again, our expenditure will also go up and it is not feasible to increase the price within a span of six months,” said an official from the department of school education and literacy.
From one kg of milk powder, a school can prepare 11 litres of milk. Each child will be served 150 ml of milk prepared using 18 gram of powder and 10 grams of sugar. Students in classes 1 to 10 in government and aided schools get milk under the Ksheera Bhagya scheme. Milk is served five days a week.
The department needs 250 metric tonnes of milk powder every year to supply milk under the Ksheera Bhagya scheme.
Before a price hike in March this year, the KMF had stopped the supply of milk powder to the schools for over two months. The supply resumed after the chief secretary intervened.
“We have clearly instructed KMF not to disrupt the supply because of the price issue. Officials at the KMF have been warned that if they stop the supply, action will be initiated against them,” an official added.
Principal Secretary (School Education & Literacy) Ritesh Kumar Singh said, “If they submit a proposal, I will forward the same to the finance department.”