Processing unit at Bebejia

Nagaon, Aug. 8: Come October, three vending machines will cure Nagaon of the dual glitches of adulterated milk and fluctuating prices.

The district’s dairy development department targets to sell at least 2,000 litres of milk through vending machines in the initial phase and this would be increased in a phased manner.

“Generally, 200 litres is the capacity of such a vending machine. We will engage an assistant against each machine who would load milk when the machine is empty,” said district dairy development officer Lakhi Prasad Bora.

Bora said each of the machines would be installed in a hygienic glass room and will be open from 6am to 8pm.

The department will spend Rs 22 lakh for installation of the machines — two machines would be installed in Nagaon and the third in Hojai town.

Since 2007, the department has formed 39 milk societies to streamline the milk market.

Two such societies — Sri Krishna and Jamuna valley — are producing 1,100 litres of milk each day.

“We are collecting the milk at a rate fixed centrally. These will be processed in our plant at Bebejia before finally being loaded in the vending machines,” Bora said.

“This is a very nice initiative and we hope the people’s response will enable us to open more such machines. We also stress on engaging some unemployed youths in the milk market,” said Nagaon deputy commissioner Om Prakash.