Dignitaries with school children during the launching programme of Giftmilk in Kohima on March 9. (Morung Photo)
Giftmilk for school children launched in Nagaland
Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 9
Bringing smiles to the faces of the school children of Nagaland state, Giftmilk programme was formally launched here today.
A pilot project, this milk distribution will cover eight government schools (four schools each in Kohima and Dimapur district) for a period of 20 days. It will benefit over 3800 students.
This is an initiative of National Dairy Development Board Foundation for Nutrition (NFN) and funded by National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity.
The eight beneficiary schools include Kohima district- Government High School New Market; Government High School PWD; Government High School Chandmari; Government Middle School D Khel, Kohima village; Government Middle School Chümoukedima town, Government Middle School Dimapur town, Government Middle School Kuda and Government Primary School Lengrijan.
According to Dr Mhasizokho Lhoushe, Chief Executive Officer, Dimapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd., under this Giftmilk programme, fortified flavored sterilised toned milk will be provided to the students as part of an initiative to address the issue of malnutrition.
Earlier, launching the programme at Government Middle School, D Khel Kohima village, Special Secretary to School Education Department Kevileno Angami lauded the NHIDCL and NDDB for coming together for the benefit of school children of the state.
Stating that dietary habits of the Nagas tend to focus more on carbohydrates and not the dairy products which builds one health and intellect, she hoped that the Giftmilk programme would provide well balanced diet and nutrition for the students.
On being queried whether they are planning to cover other districts of the state as well, Dr M Jayakrishna, senior manager NDDB said that it would depend on the success of this pilot project and how the children are accepting it.
“We are hopeful of taking more number of students in due course of time,” Dr Jayakrishna said.
Principal Director for School Education Shanavas C and General Manager NHIDCL, RO Kohima M Khan also spoke at the launching programme.
The launching ceremony was organised by Dimapur District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Ltd.
About Giftmilk
The Giftmilk programme is the first initiative of NDDB Foundation for Nutrition (NFN) wherein 200 ml of flavoured milk fortified with vitamin A and D (as per FSSAI standards) is distributed among government school children on all school working days through a dairy cooperative under CSR allocations.
The target group is mainly school children aged 5 to 15 years in primary and upper primary classes from government schools or schools run for underprivileged children by NGOs and charitable organisations.
NFN is leveraging the large network of 220 Milk Unions, 31 Marketing Dairies and around 1.94 lakh Dairy Cooperative Societies across India and expertise of NDDB for supply, logistics and monitoring.
