Govt. should subside milk for children as its cost is going beyond the purchasing capacity of common man, especially those whose income is below the poverty line – Brig. K.G. Behl (Retd),
President, AICC Uttarakhand, Dehradun.
Another World Milk Day has passed unnoticed without any impact on
either stopping adulteration in milk or controlling its prices which
are rising day by day and have gone beyond the capacity of a common
man to purchase milk to feed their children. As a result the children
remain under nourished and become prey to many disease.
Milk, as we all know, is an essential item of food for children and a
vital element for the upbringing of youngsters and elders. Though
‘White Revolution’ has transformed the production of milk in the
country but still there is a big gap between the demand and production
which is making people to produce synthetic milk. It is learnt that
the present milk production in India is 122 million litres but it
falls short by about 6 million tons it is estimated that by 2021-2022
about 180 million tones of milk will be required and unless measures
are taken now it would become difficult to cope up.
To supplement the quantity of milk, synthetic/chemical milk is being
produced which is not only harmful to stomach but is a kind of slow
poisoning for health especially for eyes. Moreover a vast uncontrolled
increase in milk prices has been noticed during the last few years
which is making milk beyond the reach of poor people and as a result
milk is being denied to the children in those sections. In many
families it has become difficult to purchase the quantity of milk
which is needed for the children and as a result the children remain
under nourished. Govt. must take steps so that children get proper
nourishment even though it may be done by subsidizing milk, like food
grains, by making available milk packets for children at subsidized
rates. Culprits Indulging in adulteration need to be punished heavily
so that they do not venture to repeat those mistakes.
It is estimated that about 10 million litres of synthetic
milk is produced every day in many district of Western Uttar Pradesh
and is supplied to other regions where it is used. As such it becomes
difficult to find out the exact places of its production. They mix up
this milk with other pure milk and sell it where it becomes difficult
to check this spurious milk and catch hold of the culprits. In the
process many dairy owners and milk suppliers are involved who supply
who supply milk to hotels, factories, canteens, hospitals, colleges
etc.
On this World Milk Day care should be taken to fix less
rates for milk which is to be solely taken by children, so that
children do not remain under nourished especially those whose parents
cannot afford the milk at higher rates. Govt. should subsidize rates
for milk meant for children to enable children to grow healthy. This
will save money Govt. spends for the upkeep of children in health
centers.
