Ex-Cong legislator elected KMF prez; hints at milk price increase by Rs 5 a litre

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Former Hagarabommanahalli Congress MLA L Bheemanaik who is also a close confidante of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was elected unopposed as chairman of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), the powerful milk union body of the state, at the election held to the post here on Wednesday. The post fell vacant following the resignation of previous president Arabhavi MLA Balachandra Jharkhiholi over closure of his term.

As no contender filed nomination papers for the post in the strength of the 19 member KMF body, Bheemanaik was declared elected to the post unanimously. The KMF with a turnover of about Rs 22,500 crore is the second-largest milk cooperative in the country after Amul. The cooperative body is seen as a springboard by many politicians as it provides access to nearly 22,000 villages across Karnataka through 14 district milk unions.

Speaking after the elections, Bheemanaik hinted that milk prices would be hiked by Rs five per litre as there was demand to hike the price by all 14 milk unions across the state. Proposals which were submitted by all the milk unions are pending before KMF.

However, a decision to this effect will be taken after discussing with chief minister Siddaramaiah regarding this. As the state cooperation minister K N Rajanna also announced his government initiated measures to increase the incentives by Rs two per litre of milk to its producers in addition to existing five Rs per litre, he said that his government will walk the talk by fulfilling such poll promises.

State government is providing incentives to dairy farmers to take up dairy farming on a large scale, also playing a crucial role in the development of villages as well as improving the life of farmers by bringing regular income to them to eke out their living, he said.

He also said KMF was also planning to increase the milk procurement price to help the producers to boost milk production at a time when its production declined due to various reasons. He said that he would make all his honest efforts to ensure quality milk, ghee, curds to its consumers, he said.