The Union Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari during a press conference, said, "10 percent incentives will be given to export milk products. We're planning to export milk powder overseas. 3.5 lakh ton of milk powder is in stock, we need to export it quickly."Image Source : PTI/FIL
To boost export of dairy products, the Centre will give a 10 percent incentive said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari while urging agitating farmers to maintain calm.
Government is also considering distributing milk through midday meal scheme and anganwadis as part of steps to ensure better returns to producers. Gadkari’s comments came against the background of ongoing protest by milkmen in Maharashtra to seek higher milk procurement prices. They are also demanding Rs 5/l subsidy for milk.
Asserting that the government was "serious" about farmers' problems, Gadkari assured that import of dairy items, if any, would be checked immediately even as the government was also contemplating providing dairy products as aid to some nations instead of funds.
Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Minister for Transport Nitin Gadkari announced that the Government will give 10 percent incentives to the export of milk products.
Piyush Goyal, speaking on the same, said, "The government has decided to give 10 percent export incentive on the export of milk, milk powder, and milk products, it has been notified as well."
"There is a request from the Agriculture Ministry to make milk available at railway stations. The railways will think over it and take a decision in 3-4 days," he added, after a meeting with Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh and Gadkari.
Goyal also said that he will take up the issue regarding consumption of milk, with the other ministries tomorrow.
We will take up this issue further with other ministries to discuss steps to increase consumption of milk said the Union Minister.
He further requested the farmers to give some time to work "on your demands."
Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, there is a 'milk blockade' by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathna (SSS), a farmers' organisation. They have asked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra to give milk farmers a subsidy of Rs 5 per litre.
On Monday, the workers of SSS stopped vehicles near Pune and spilled milk on road, thereby preventing it from being supplied to nearby cities. They even set ablaze a truck of Rajhans Milk Shop in Malegaon while demanding price hike for milk farmers. As a mark of protest they fed milk to stray dogs in Maharashtra's Buldhana.
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