Good Nutrition Leads To Good Education: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah On Distributing Millet Malt To 55 Lakh Government School Children

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday highlighted the importance of mental and physical health and said that good nutrition leads to good education after the state government announced to distribute millet malt to 55 lakh government school children.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the SaiSure Ragi Health Mix distribution programme held at the Banquet Hall, Vidhana Soudha.

CM Siddaramaiah said, "Milk production increased during our government's tenure in 2013. This additional milk sales and milk by-products could not be produced in excess.

Therefore, the government immediately started the Ksheera Bhagya scheme to provide milk to school children five days a week. The government has started distributing millet malt for the mental and physical health of 55 lakh government school children.

Milk goes to children through the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). This milk money is given by the government to KMF. Thus we decided to help the farmers who supply milk to KMF. In the last budget, we started a programme of providing eggs to school children twice a week."

CM Siddaramaiah said that the programme of providing the most nutritious millet malt has started and this improves the mental and physical health of children.

"Children should not be anaemic. When there is no nutritional deficiency only then children will be mentally strong and more agile in studies. Children must get quality education. Like the children of the rich, the children of the poor, labourers, Dalits and shudras should also get a good education," he said.

It is children who shape the future of the country and society, he quoted the words of Buddha, Basava and Ambedkar.

"Self-esteem can be increased only through education. The development of knowledge is possible through education. Education is not just teaching, reading and writing.

A rational education that responds to the problems of the society is necessary. Even highly educated doctors and engineers have now fallen prey to superstition. Basavadi Sharanas worked hard to build a superstition-less society," he further said.

He said that it is possible to build a superstition-less society only through intellectual education.

Food Minister KH Muniyappa, Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa and officers were present.

SaiSure Ragi Malt Health Mix will be distributed to all government and aided school children in the state from the academic year 2023-24.