Ernakulam District Panchayat to study social impact of Milma@School programme

The social impact of opening Milma kiosks in schools will be studied shortly. The decision comes in the wake of concerns raised by civic representatives at the Ernakulam District Panchayat council meeting last week.

Currently, kiosks of the dairy cooperative, set up as part of the Milma@School campaign, are operational in three of the 58 schools under the local body.

“One of the advantages is that having such a kiosk will prevent children from going outside the school campus in search of refreshments. The products are also a healthier alternative. However, a concern raised is the financial strain it could have on the kids and how they would pay for these. Some schools were willing to start this. We will look at the social impact at these schools first before implementing it in other schools,” said District panchayat president K.G. Radhakrishnan.

At the council meeting, members voiced concerns about the financial strain the project could place on parents and the electricity charges involved in operating the machinery. The kiosks were recently inaugurated at two schools under the panchayat: Government VHSS, Pallarimangalam, and Government VHSS, Kadavoor. A kiosk had earlier been opened at a government school in Chowara.  

According to Wilson J. Puravakkatt, managing director of Milma Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union (ERCMPU), the project, being implemented across the State, aims to dissuade schoolchildren from leaving the campus in search of refreshments. “It is also an anti-drug campaign to prevent children from venturing out and reduce chances of any exposure to strangers,” said Mr. Puravakkatt.

According to sources, the project has been implemented in around 15 schools in Ernakulam. An ERCMPU representative said the kiosks offer products priced between ₹10 and ₹100. 

“They are all in the affordable range, and along with dairy products, snacks, as well as sugar-free products are being sold. These are being run in the schools by either the Parent-Teacher Association or the school clubs. The profit generated from the sales goes to the schools,” he said.