Rajasthan Government Plans to Replace School Milk with Coarse Grains

Rajasthan Govt Shifts School Nutrition Focus from Milk to Millets. In a significant policy shift, the government in Rajasthan is all set to discard the milk distribution scheme for school children introduced by the previous Congress regime and replace it with a program on coarse grains, particularly millets. This move, therefore, indicates serious adjustment in the existing policy of the state regarding school nutrition and tries to solve lots of problems associated with milk distribution while promoting the usage of locally produced millets.

Background of the Milk Scheme
The milk distribution scheme for school children in Rajasthan was initiated by former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje when she was in power. Under the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation, the program had started to provide fresh milk as part of mid day meals to school students. As there is a change in government, the policy altered and modified with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Gehlot’s government had replaced fresh milk with powdered milk, only renaming the scheme as Bal Gopal Yojana. The scheme covered over 69 lakh students up to the 8th standard in the state.

Reasons for Scrapping the Milk Scheme
The decision to axe the milk scheme comes after the BJP government took into account a few factors lying behind it, according to State Education Minister Madan Dilawar. Dilawar said that there were many problems in the implementation process of the milk distribution scheme. “Not all school students are getting the benefit of Bal Gopal Yojana,” Dilawar said. He said the problems also related to quality and acceptance of powdered milk. A section of students reportedly disliked powdered milk, and providing quality cow milk to all schools was found impractical. Apart from that, Dilawar reiterated the logistical challenges and cost involvement in the distribution of milk on such a large scale. In any such cases, the government is also working on the options of shifting to millets as more practical fodder in these circumstances. “There are a large number of school students in Rajasthan who do not want to drink powdered milk,” he added. “Looking at this, giving millets instead of milk is being considered.”

Millet Scheme to be Introduced
The Millet Scheme is aimed at replacing the prevalent milk program with a focus on coarse grain. Since Rajasthan is one of the major millet-producing states in the country, switching to millets has been strategic and quite realistic. Millets are nutritious and diverse crops; their addition might prove worthy as an alternative to milk in school meals. Since the state produces plenty of millets, thereby this initiative will reap benefits from its high production-overcoming logistic hindrances in the distribution of milk. The government included millets in the school meal to ensure nutritional values for the students. Millets are rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals, which are very essential for child growth. This also tallies with the state’s effort towards promoting local agriculture and support for farmers in its task of creating demand for the millets.

Political and Economic Consequences
Replacing milk with millets has its own political and economic consequences. Millet procurement has been a very contentious issue in the state, and successive governments drew criticism for failing to address the consumption of such an important crop. This millet scheme is actually an effort on the part of the BJP government to set this record straight and make gainful use of the procured millets. This shift also represents the government’s larger policy for enhancing nutritional intake and food security in the face of dire logistical and financial challenges. For the earlier milk scheme, ensuring consistency in terms of quality and distribution remained a challenge; millets offer a more viable, locally relevant solution.
Next Steps and Government Plans
Education Minister Dilawar has assured that a final decision regarding the millet scheme would be taken soon. It is expected that the government will give out the details of the new program as to how millets will be included in the school meal and how much time it would take for such an implementation. The introduction of millets is likely to engage local farmers and suppliers
to work out the continuous supply of quality grains. This move also mirrors the larger policy shift towards more nutritionally valuable and locally driven food programs. In this way, the government can meet nutritional requirements while it continues to support local agriculture and lessens its dependence on outside sources of milk.

Reactions by the Public and Other Stakeholders
There is a mixed response to the decision of replacing milk with millets. Proponents of the millet scheme call the idea practical and nutritious that can tap into Rajasthan’s farm-based strengths. The supporters of millet go on to say that the millets included in school meals will help children get essential nutrients while boosting the local economy. Some critics, however, have raised some apprehensions with regard to such a transition and its consequence on students who are used to the milk program. There is some concern regarding whether millets are a good-enough substitution for milk at least at younger ages when there is greater need for certain types of nutrition intake.
Conclusion
The Rajasthan decision to change a milk distribution scheme in place and introduce millets in school meals has been one important policy shift with wide ramifications. The new millet focus thus hopes to combine practical issues with milk distribution and capitalizes on the State’s strengths in being a leading millet producer. How this new scheme will provide nutrition for students and support local agriculture, according to this RO, is what, among other things, needs to be closely watched. This transition to millet forms part of a larger trend of food policy in the direction of sustainability and localization. Success in this transition will be a function of sensitive implementation and stakeholder consultation.

References:
– Statements from State Education Minister Madan Dilawar
– Historical context of the Bal Gopal Yojana
– Current millet production and procurement issues in Rajasthan