Vadodara: Amul Dairy has announced nutritional support worth more than Rs 1 crore for 1,300 tuberculosis (TB) patients across Anand, Kheda and Mahisagar districts of Gujarat. The initiative is being carried out under the ‘TB Mukt Anand-Kheda-Mahisagar District’ campaign and is aimed at providing nutritional assistance to patients during their treatment.
Under the initiative, 500 patients in Anand, 500 in Kheda and 300 patients in Virpur and Balasinor blocks of Mahisagar will receive monthly nutrition kits. Each beneficiary will receive a kit valued at Rs 1,500 every month for six months.
Nutrition Support During TB Treatment
The nutrition kits have been designed to provide beneficiaries with essential food items that can support their nutritional requirements during TB treatment. Each kit will contain chana, jaggery, soybeans, mung beans, peanuts, rice, groundnut oil and toor dal.
The six-month programme means each beneficiary is set to receive nutritional assistance worth Rs 9,000 over the duration of the initiative. For 1,300 beneficiaries, the total value of the monthly nutrition support over six months amounts to approximately Rs 1.17 crore.
| District | Beneficiaries | Monthly Kit Value | Support Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anand | 500 | Rs 1,500 | 6 months |
| Kheda | 500 | Rs 1,500 | 6 months |
| Mahisagar | 300 | Rs 1,500 | 6 months |
| Total | 1,300 | Rs 1,500 each | 6 months |
The financial assistance was unanimously approved by the Amul Dairy board at its meeting on July 30. The decision followed the Centre’s call for greater community participation in efforts to eliminate tuberculosis in India.
Initiative Formally Launched
The programme was formally launched on Saturday, with nutrition kits being handed over to the district tuberculosis officers of Anand, Kheda and Mahisagar. The launch brought together government representatives, elected officials, district representatives and members of the Amul Dairy board.
Cabinet minister Raman Solanki, MP and former Union minister Devusinh Chauhan, MLAs Arjunsinh Chauhan, Rajesh Zala and Mansinh Chauhan, representatives from the three districts and Amul Dairy board members attended the event.
Addressing the gathering, former Union minister Devusinh Chauhan highlighted Amul’s continued commitment to social responsibility. The initiative also received support from more than 1,200 representatives of milk cooperative societies who participated in the event.
Community Participation in TB Elimination
Amul Dairy’s initiative comes as India continues its efforts to strengthen community involvement in tuberculosis elimination. TB treatment requires more than access to medicines, with adequate nutrition playing an important role in supporting patients throughout their recovery.
The initiative forms part of the broader Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which focuses on strengthening efforts to make India TB-free. The programme places emphasis on early diagnosis, regular treatment, nutritional support and community participation.
Through its six-month nutrition programme, Amul Dairy is extending the role of the dairy cooperative sector beyond milk production and into community welfare. By providing essential food products directly to TB patients, the initiative seeks to address nutritional needs while supporting patients as they continue their treatment.
The programme also demonstrates how cooperative institutions can contribute to public health initiatives by mobilising resources and engaging their wider network of members and stakeholders.
With 1,300 patients across three districts set to benefit, the initiative represents a significant nutritional-support programme under the TB elimination campaign and reinforces Amul Dairy’s stated commitment to social responsibility and community welfare.