Berhampur: With an aim to ensure that people can source fresh milk throughout the day, a Milk ATM facility offering milk round-the-clock was inaugurated in Berhampur on the ocassion of Rath Yatra.
An initiative of Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) and Greater Ganjam Gajapati Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union (GGGMU), the milk ATM is located in the premises of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College and Hospital Campus, Berhampur, Ganjam. The machine has a capacity of 500 litres. Milk sold at the parlour will be sourced from the local dairy farmers and will be pasteurized and fortified with Vitamin A & D in collaboration with National Dairy Development Board and Tata Trust for addressing the issue of malnutrition in the district.
Mr. Bikram Panda, Honorable MLA, Berhampur and Mr. Bijay Amrut Kulange, District Collector and Magistrate, Ganjam, were present at the inauguration of the milk parlour. Also present on the occasion were Sindhe Datatreya Bhausaheb, Sub-Collector, Ganjam, and Prof. Dr. Santosh Kumar Mishra, Superintendent MKCG Medical College and Hospital and memebrs from the TSF team.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Panda said, “It will be helpful towards making the Berhampur town free from plastic as packaged milk generates a lot of non-biodegradable waste”.
Lauding the unique effort Mr. Kulange said, “A lot of initiatives have been taken by TSF with the district administration to enhance income opportunities for the dairy farmers here. Since this is the most prominent hospital in the district, people come here from far-off places for treatment. Hence, this milk parlour will be really helpful for the patients and their attendants apart from the medical staff. This will be a boon for many during such unprecedented times.”
“We are very proud to partner with GGGMMU and leverage additional income opportunities for the dairy farmers in the district. At TSF, we are always working towards creating such collaborations that will benefit communities in every possible manner,” said Mr Sourav Roy, Chief (CSR), Tata Steel.
The Gopalpur CSR unit of Tata Steel runs eight milk cooperative societies. The journey began in 2013 with 60 ltrs /day and 10 farmers and today it has reached 1800ltrs /day with 354 farmers. The milk collected through these cooperatives in FY 2019-20 was 2,99,793.2 ltrs.
Looking at the popularity and direct benefit that the farmers receive through milk ATMs, a plan was made with GGGMU to setup three such milk ATM parlors in Ganjam district. This being the second, the first one was inaugurated on Gate Bazar Road last year. The third one will be soon setup at Chhatrapur town.
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