To launch the initiative, the state has awarded a contract worth ₹120 crore to Vijaya Dairy, which will supply the milk to schools and colleges. Officials said the milk will be distributed alongside the state’s breakfast scheme, reinforcing a broader effort by the government to strengthen public education and student welfare under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

According to the National Institute of Nutrition, children require between 150 and 200 milliliters of milk per day. Vijaya Dairy plans to provide the product in tetra-pack format to ensure hygiene, longer shelf life and easier distribution across thousands of educational institutions. The state had previously considered serving 150 milliliters of milk three times per week, alternating with ragi malt under the breakfast scheme.

The decision builds on earlier pilot programs already operating in Telangana. Vijaya Dairy currently supplies 200 milliliters of milk to pregnant women and lactating mothers through Anganwadi centers, while selected tribal areas in Mulugu have already introduced milk for children between three and five years old. Officials say the success of those projects encouraged the government to extend the model to all school-age children.