Madhya Pradesh Government Allocates Rs 1,500 Crore to Enhance Milk Production Over Five Years

Bhopal, Jan 8 (NationPress) The Madhya Pradesh government is planning a significant investment of Rs 1,500 crore aimed at doubly increasing milk production and enhancing farmers' incomes over the next five years, as reported by officials.

This proposal received approval from the Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, during a meeting on Tuesday.

During a briefing on this Cabinet decision, senior Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya highlighted that the Madhya Pradesh State Co-operative Dairy Federation (MPSCDF) will collaborate with the National Co-operative Dairy Federation (NCDF).

He emphasized that this partnership with NCDF is expected to not only boost milk production but also significantly increase farmers' earnings across the state.

The Minister pointed out that farmers will be motivated to enhance milk production by acquiring high-quality cows.

Furthermore, farmers will be provided with all necessary resources to transport their milk and related products to the market, Vijayvargiya mentioned.

They will also be encouraged to utilize organic manure in their farming practices, he added.

Moreover, the state government plans to introduce an academic degree course in dairy technology at Vikram University in Ujjain.

In line with the National Education Policy, 2020, this course will eventually be available at other universities as well, the Minister stated.

Skilled youth trained in dairy technology are expected to elevate Madhya Pradesh to a leading position in milk production, driven by their determination and hard work.

"This decision is part of our strategic plan to double milk production and improve farmers' incomes in the state over the next five years. Currently, there are approximately 6,000 dairy co-operative committees in the state, which we aim to increase to 9,000 in the coming five years," Vijayvargiya explained.

Additionally, he mentioned that the government intends to expand the presence of the state's Sanchi milk brand in the national market with NCDF's assistance.

"Once the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is finalized between MPSCDF and NCDF, the government will establish dairy plants in rural areas. Private entities will manage transportation and branding," the Minister added.

In a prior development last September, the Madhya Pradesh government approved transferring the operations of the State Cooperative Dairy Federation and its affiliated milk unions to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for the next five years.

However, the opposition party, Congress, opposed this decision, alleging it was a covert attempt by Gujarat's Amul to take control of Madhya Pradesh's state-operated milk brand, Sanchi.

In response, the state government asserted that this decision aims to enhance Sanchi's production and establish it as a national brand.

Madhya Pradesh currently holds the third position in the country, contributing a nine percent share of milk production.

The average milk yield in the state stands at 673 grams, compared to the national average of 471 grams.