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Singh lays foundation stone for dairy plant in East Champaran District
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Friday, 16 February, 2018, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The foundation stone for the first dairy plant in Motihari, East Champaran District, Bihar, was laid by Radha Mohan Singh, minister of agriculture and farmers’ welfare, Government of India.
“India has reached such a stage that it is providing opportunities galore for entrepreneurs at the international level,” he said.
Singh added that the growth in the dairy sector was a result of the initiatives taken by the government to implement various schemes to increase the productivity of milch animals.
“India is the prime producer of milk and has been holding the number one position globally for the past two decades,” he said.
“Milk production, which was about 17-22 million tonne in the 1960s, has increased to 165.4 million tonne in 2016-17. During the year 2016-17, milk production increased by 20.12 per cent vis-a-vis 2013-14,” Singh added.
“The per capita availability of milk during the year 2016-17 was 355g. It grew by 15.6 per cent vis-a-vis 2013-14, when it was 307g,” he said.
“Likewise, the incomes of the dairy farmers grew by 23.77 per cent between 2014 and 2017 vis-a-vis their incomes between 2011 and 2014,” Singh added.
“In the last three years, milk production in India has grown by 6.3 per cent every year, surpassing the annual growth rate of 2.1 per cent,” he said.
Singh stated that dairy farming had become a source of livelihood and food security at the rural level, especially for landless and marginal farmers.
About 80 million farmers are engaged in the dairy business, and they rear about 80 per cent of the total milch cattle.
The department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries has initiated a number of schemes with the objective of doubling the dairy farmers’ incomes in line with prime minister Narendra Modi’s mission to double farmers’ incomes by the 75th anniversary of India’s independence (2022).
In this direction, dairy farmers’ incomes could be increased in two ways – firstly, by increasing the milk production by improving their productivity and secondly, through raising the price of raw milk per kg.
“For the first time in the country, the Rashtriya Gokul Mission was launched in December 2014 for the conservation and promotion of the indigenous breeds,” said Singh.
“Under the scheme, so far Rs 1,350 crore have been approved for the proposals from 28 states, and Rs 503 crore have already been released for the same,” he added.
Singh said establishing Gokul Grams was one of the components of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission. They will act as a centre for the development of the indigenous species and it will also supply animals to the farmers for breeding. Currently, 18 Gokul Grams in 12 different states are being established.
Apart from this, the Government is undertaking the establishment of two National Kamdhenu Breeding Centres for the conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds in Chintaladevi and Nellore in the southern region and in Itarsi and Hoshangabad, in the northern region.
Out of the two in the southern region, the Chintaladevi centre in Andhra Pradesh is complete. Under this scheme, 41 bovine breeds and 13 buffaloes will be preserved.
The minister said, “In November 2016, we have also started the National Mission on Bovine Productivity Scheme under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission with an allocation of Rs 825 crore.”
“The aim is to accelerate milk production and productivity and to also make the milk production more profitable,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Pashu Sanjivn component is identifying nine crore milch animals through UID, and the government has already sanctioned funds for this scheme, which also includes the provision of providing Nakul Swasthya Patra to all these animals.
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