Date: 01-12-2020

To,

Shri B S Yediyurappa,

The Hon’ble Chief Minister,

Government of Karnataka,

Bengaluru,

Sub: Restart supply of  milk/milk powder under the Ksheerya Bhagya scheme to school children.

Respected Sir,

We are a group of nutritionists, doctors, activists, lawyers and citizens, who are making an urgent appeal to resume provision of milk/milk powder to school children under the Ksheera Bhagya scheme for government-run and government-aided schools. 

The Ksheera Bhagya scheme which started in the year 2013-14 and provides a glass (150 ml) of hot milk to school-going children in Karnataka  is a progressive and significant nutritional scheme by the Government of Karnataka which has been appreciated across the country. For several children studying in  government-run and government-aided schools, Ksheera Bhagya scheme is the only source of milk-protein and many other vitamins and minerals. As is well known, a majority of the children studying in government-run and government-aided school come from economically and socially marginalized communities including Dalit, Adivasi and Other Backward Classes. 

It is therefore a matter of grave concern that after the closing of schools due to COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a total shutdown of supply of milk/milk powder to children since June 2020 under the Scheme. The reason appears to be a Note by the Finance Department which states that

“In view of providing sufficient ration to all families in the State through Public Distribution System (PDS) and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), it is advised not to implement the scheme. However, the Administrative Department is directed to implement the regular mid-day meals scheme as and when the schools reopen and start functioning.”

The above note overlooks the fact that milk is not being provided under either the PDS system or under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. Several media reports show that ‘sufficient ration’ is not at all being provided to many families and even those who have received rations, have only received cereal, specifically, rice. Additionally, these two schemes can be accessed by only those having BPL cards while Ksheera Bhagya covers children of several families who do not have BPL cards. 

The reluctance of the Government of Karnataka to provide  milk/milk powder to children under Ksheera Bhagya scheme is particularly unjustified when Karnataka Milk Federation has been reporting surplus milk procurement for which it is unable to find a market. A recent news report appearing in the New Indian Express also shows that the pandemic and its effects may have worsened hunger and pushed many children across the state into starvation. If the worsening situation of child malnutrition is not addressed immediately, it could even reverse the limited progress made in the last few years by us towards a malnutrition-free Karnataka. 

Hence, in the interest of children studying in government-run and government-aided schools, we urge you to ensure that Milk/milk powder should be provided to the school-children under the Ksheera Bhagya scheme of the state government for all pending months since June and on a regular and prompt basis for the subsequent months till the opening of the schools.

Cc:

1. Shri S Suresh Kumar, Hon’ble Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Government of Karnataka.
2. Chief Secretary to Government of Karnataka.
3. Principal Secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education, Government of Karnataka

Signed by-

S. No.	Name	Affiliation
1	Aasha Ramesh	Social Activist and Researcher
2	Abdul Razak	Secular Indians
3	Abhigna Arigala	Development Professional
4	Abhishek	Student
5	Alwyn D’Souza	Indian Social Institute, Bengaluru
6	Anannya	Independent
7	Anant Phadke	Jan Swasthy Abhiyan
8	Anbarasi Sampth	Individual
9	Anita Rego	Pearlss 4 Development
10	Ankur Sharma	Independent
11	Arati Chokshi	Independent
12	Arul Anthony Pandian	Bunnji Telecom – Melbourne – Australia
13	Avani Chokshi	CPI(ML)
14	Bhargavi	Independent
15	Bittu K R	Karnataka Janashakti
16	Cavery Bopaiah	Swaraj Abhiyan
17	Chandni Ganesh	St. Joseph’s College
18	Dimple Oberoi Vahali	Independent Activist
19	Dr Sylvia Karpagam	Public health doctor
20	Dr. Mohan Rao	Independent researcher in Bangalore
21	Dr. Veena Shatrugna	Former Deputy Director, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad
22	Dr.Niranjanaradhya.V.P.	Centre for Child and the Law, NLSIU,Bengaluru
23	Dr.Ramachandrappa HT	Impact India Consortium Bengaluru
24	G Ravi	Disability Rights Activist
25	Gunjan zutshi	Independent
26	Guru prasad	Human Rights Awareness
27	Harun Rasheed	Independent
28	Huzafah Sadaf SM	Independent
29	Issac Amurutharaj	SJS-K
30	Jagrat Yogaj Biswal	Employee in Private Company
31	Jeevan HL	Swaraj India
32	Joseph Xavier	Indian Social Institute Bangalore
33	Kalpanashivanna	President, Chiguru ಬಾಲವಿಕಾಸ Samsthe
34	Kathyayini Chamaraj	CIVIC Bangalore / Right to Food Campaign
35	KP Singh	Swaraj India
36	Latha Ramji	Health for all group
37	Mallamma yalawar	Sabala
38	Mallappa S Kumbar	Karnataka sexual minorities forum
39	Mohammed Sadath Hussain	Ramaiah Institute of technology
40	Nachiket Udupa	Concerned individual
41	Nagendra.b.s.	ICDSS
42	Naveen Tejaswi	Kannadada MakkaLu
43	Nidhin Sasi	IT Employee
44	Padmini Kumar	Joint Women’s Programme
45	Prakruti maitri	Individual
46	Prateek Rath	Lawyer
47	Pushpahs.61@gmail.com	Namma Manasa
48	R Srinivasan	Retd IIMB
49	R.KALEEM ULLAH	SWARAJ ABHIYAN BANGALORE
50	Raja Vemula	Brother of Rohith Vemula
51	Rajani	Independent consultant
52	Ravikiran Suryanarayanamurthy	Sakra World Hospital
53	Rizwan s	Mercy mission
54	Sagar S	IT employee
55	Shahbuddin Khan	Pinnacle Foundation
56	Shashank S R	National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru
57	Shashidhar	Lawyer
58	Shruthi Raman	Centre for Child and the Law, NLSIU
59	Siddharth K J	Independent Researcher, Bengaluru
60	Sneha Rajaram	Writer, Bangalore
61	Souri Majumder	National Institute of Advanced Studies
62	Sr.Monica Rani	His Paradise for the Deserted Charitable Trust
63	Sudha N	Independent
64	Supreeth Gopal	Independent
65	Suresha B	Media House
66	Sushi Machali	Independent
67	SWARUPA RANI	SAKAR,FIAN INDIA,COMMON HEALTH
68	Syed Tousif Masood	Naavu Bharathiyaru
69	SYED WASEEM RAJA	Youth India Association
70	Terry pais	President of Diocesan council of catholic women mangalore
71	Vandana Srivastava	Centre for Learning
72	Vijaya Kumar seethappa	Karnataka janaarogya Chaluvali
73	Vinay K S	Advocate
74	Vinaya Nayak	Individual
75	Vishwesha Guttal	Indian Institute of Science
76	Zainab N S	Individual
77	Zia Nomani	Bandhua Mukti Morcha

Files

Media Coverage

• The News Minute, “Resume providing milk, milk powder to govt school kids: 77 activists to K’taka CM“, Dec 1, 2020.
• Deccan Herald, “‘Resume Ksheera Bhagya’: Nutritionists write letter to Karnataka CM“, Dec 02, 2020.
• The Hindu, “Experts urge government to restart Ksheera Bhagya programme“, Dec 02, 2020.

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