Odisha's first milk vending machine opened in Berhampur

Berhampur: The first-ever pasteurised and vitamin-added milk vending machine of Odisha was opened near Gate Bazar in Berhampur on the occasion of Rath Yatra on Thursday.

Ganjam district Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange and local MLA Bikram Kumar Panda inaugurated the ATM on the premises of Greater Ganjam Gajapati Co-operative Milk Producers' Union's Office.

The milk ATM was opened on a trial basis and such vending machines would be set up at nine different places of the Silk City in different phases.

"Such Milk ATMs will be opened at different hospitals (like MKCG Medical College and Hospital and City Hospital) and other public places. Apart from becoming an easy and accessible source of nutrition for everyone, the milk ATMs would help us get rid of huge usage of plastics in packaging and storage of milk products," said Kulange.

The local milk producers’ association claimed that it decided to sell milk directly in the market through the vending machines as the State government did not hike the price of milk procured from them since 2014.

"The milk producers’ association of our district decided to install a pasteurised milk ATM with an aim to maintain the quality of milk and provide good quality and pure milk to the consumers. Milk in the ATM is sold for Rs 40 per 1 litre. A consumer can collect minimum 250 grams of milk for ten rupees," informed Dilip Patnaik, a member of the association.