The demand of milk producers to increase the price of milk in the State was met with a lukewarm response from Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.
Responding to a string of demands of milk producers at a convention organised by the Bangalore Milk Union Ltd. (BAMUL) here on Sunday, Mr. Shettar assured them that their demand to increase milk price to Rs. 30 would be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting.
The producers have been calling for increasing the price from Rs. 24 a litre, given the rise in the cost of production, especially with the hike in prices of diesel and petrol, and electricity and water tariffs.
Mr. Shettar said the BJP government was the first to introduce subsidy of Rs. 2 a litre in 2008. Since then, subsidy of nearly Rs. 261.97 crore had been disbursed to milk producers in 12 taluks in Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural and Ramanagaram districts.
Increased production
“Since the subsidy was introduced, milk production has seen an increase of nearly 40 per cent,” he claimed.
The Chief Minister said the government had decided to help the Karnataka Milk Federation in exhausting the huge stock of milk powder.
A market of 3,000 tonnes a month would be created as the government had decided to use milk powder as part of the midday meal given to children in anganwadis and schools.
Towards solving the drinking water problem in the 12 taluks, he said the Cabinet recently gave the green signal for the Yettinahole water scheme.
The detailed project report was being readied.
“I will present the budget in February and will address the other demands in it,” he added.
