Schoolchildren are likely to get milk six days a week soon as the government is thinking of extending the ‘Ksheera Bhagya’.
Children now get milk every alternate day.
Inaugurating the valedictory function of ‘Cooperation Week’ held at D Devraj Urs Stadium in Gundlupet on Wednesday, Animal Husbandry Minister T B Jayachandra said a decision in this regard would be taken soon.
He said the scheme would indirectly benefit 20 lakh milk producers in the state besides addressing malnutrition among children.
Quoting statistics, the minister said the contribution of agriculture to the GDP is 4 per cent whereas that of animal husbandry is 29 per cent.
Hence, animal husbandry should be encouraged by giving loans to people who engage in poultry farming and goat and sheep rearing on par with loans to farmers.
He said the government has set a target of bringing 80,000 women under women self-help groups, which have a membership of 21 lakh across the state.
He said the government is trying to change the perception that cooperative institutions are based on caste by taking steps to make cooperative institutions highly democratic institutions.
Cooperation Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad said the government has planned to include lessons on the cooperative sector in school curriculum.
Revenue Minister V Srinivasa Prasad underlined the importance of financial discipline in cooperative institutions.
PWD Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa said the empowerment of members of cooperative institutions is possible only when the cooperative sector is free from casteism, groupism and politics.
Karnataka State Cooperative Federation president and MLA G T Devegowda urged the government to mobilise the funds to construct buildings for dairies.