Millets food at residential schools, hostels from September 1 in Karnataka

Highlights

• The Social Welfare Department is all set to serve dishes prepared using millets to students of Morarji Desai Residential Schools from September 1.

• The move, which intends to improve nutrition among children, will be implemented in Uttara Kannada and Haveri districts on an experimental basis for a period of six months. About 8,500 students of Uttara Kannada and 13,500 students of Haveri districts will benefit from the initiative, according to sources.

• The department will conduct a study to ascertain improvement of nutrition among children after six months.

• One kilogram of millets will be allocated to each student per month. Four varieties of millets will be used to prepare different types of dishes. An amount of Rs 1.40 crore will be spent on the initiative. The department plans to expand the scheme across the state, added the sources.

• “Ragi, proso millet, little millet and pearl millet have plenty of fibre, calcium, Vitamin D and minerals. Flour will be prepared using these millets, which will be supplied to the hostels and residential schools. Idli, dosa and bajji will be prepared using the flour to be served to students,” ZP CEO Priyanga M told DH.

• “The department will subject students to blood investigation, haemoglobin level and weight tests before launching the scheme. These will be repeated after six months to ascertain improvement. Normally, children’s grow till the age of 18 years. Supply of nutritious food will help their physical and mental health,” Social Welfare Department deputy director Ajjappa Sogalad told DH.