On Friday, the Assam government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Guwahati to set up a joint venture worth Rs 2,000 crore with the target of processing ten lakh litres of milk at six new milk processing units over seven years.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the move would transform the state’s dairy sector and herald a new era of rural economic development by generating opportunities. He said he hoped the move would benefit more than 1.75 lakh dairy farmers in Assam and increase their earnings.
Under the MoU, two cattle feed and organic manure manufacturing units will also be set up and the import of high-yielding cattle breeds and artificial insemination will be taken up.
Additionally, the foundation stone for the expansion project of Purabi Dairy was also laid on Friday. The unit’s production capacity will be raised from 60,000 to 1,50,000 litres per day.
‘ATMANIRBHAR ASSAM’
Speaking on the occasion, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “With this project, the mission of Atmanirbhar Assam begins in earnest and we are confident of minimising our reliance on other states for milk and other food products. With growth of GDP and per capita income in Assam, people’s spending on meat and milk products have increased and Assam must become self-reliant in meeting its own requirement without depending on other states in order to stop the revenue flow.”
He also stressed on multi-cropping and diversification of agricultural practices. The chief minister said that dairy farmers would be provided subsidy for market price fluctuation of their produce and urged all dairy cooperatives to engage in healthy competition.
Apart from Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala and Assam agriculture minister Atul Bora as well as NDDB chairman Meenesh Shah were present on the occasion of the signing of the MoU on Friday.
