The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) assured the Punjab government on Thursday of its support for the state's effort to set up 12 more milk plants at an estimated cost of Rs 900 crore in order to help dairy farmers.
There are already 11 milk plants in Punjab, covering 6,000 villages, and the new ones would bring the total to 23, covering 12,000 villages. This would aid in the procurement of an additional 10 lakh litres of milk per day.
"This endeavour will not only supplement farmers' income but will also lead to another White Revolution in Punjab," said NDDB Chairman Meenesh Shah after meeting with Punjab's Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Fisheries, Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal, in Anand.
The Punjab government plans to build a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) plant in Amritsar on the model of two existing plants in Ganganagar and Kolhapur, with an estimated investment of Rs 80 crore, to address pollution and provide cheaper feed to dairy farmers.
"All necessary assistance would be provided by the NDDB. This would also help to solve the problem of crop residue burning."
Shah stated that the NDDB will collaborate with the state government to secure the necessary financial and technical assistance.
About NDDB:
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is a statutory body established by an Act of the Indian Parliament. It is owned by the Government of India's Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy.
The headquarters are in Anand, Gujarat, with regional offices located throughout the country. Indian Dairy Machinery Company Limited, Mother Dairy, and Indian Immunologicals Limited, all based in Hyderabad, are subsidiaries of NDDB.
The Board of Directors was established to finance and support producer-owned and controlled organizations. Its programmes and activities aim to strengthen farmer cooperatives while also supporting national policies that promote the growth of such institutions. The board's efforts are based on cooperative principles and cooperative strategies.
