Cabinet approves Rs 2,790 crore dairy development program

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved an updated National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD). The budget has been increased to Rs 2790 crore for the years 2021 to 2026. This program aims to modernize dairy infrastructure and expand opportunities for farmers. The NPDD will improve facilities for milk procurement and processing. It aims to provide farmers with better market access and help them earn higher incomes. The program also seeks to create jobs and boost rural development. There are two main parts to the NPDD. Component A focuses on upgrading dairy infrastructure. This includes building milk chilling plants and advanced testing laboratories. It will also support new village dairy cooperative societies, especially in remote areas. Component B will continue to promote dairy cooperatives with help from Japan’s government and Japan International Cooperation Agency. The NPDD has already made a positive impact. It has benefited over 18.74 lakh farmers and created more than 30,000 jobs. The program has also increased milk procurement capacity significantly. In addition, over 51,000 village milk testing labs have been improved. The program has installed numerous bulk milk coolers and upgraded laboratories with advanced technology for better milk quality control. The updated NPDD plans to establish 10,000 new Dairy Cooperative Societies and provides support for women, who make up 70% of the dairy workforce. Overall, the program aims to strengthen India’s dairy industry and improve the livelihoods of millions of farmers.