GUWAHATI: In a bid to revamp the dairy sector and sow the seeds of a possible White Revolution in the state, the government has announced plans to establish six mega milk processing plants, each with a capacity of one lakh litres per day.
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Bora, on Thursday, revealed that the joint venture company formed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the state government is spearheading this ambitious project as part of the Assam Dairy Development Plan.
“The joint venture aims to establish a total of six mega plants, each processing one lakh litres of milk per day, strategically located across Assam. Land for three of these plants has already been identified in Cachar, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat, with additional sites in Biswanath under consideration,” Bora told the press.
Simultaneously, the government has revived small, defunct processing plants in Guwahati, Bongaigaon, and Dhemaji, each with a capacity of 5,000 litres per day. Out of a total of 13 defunct plants, 10 were deemed unsuitable for revival due to their age, Bora explained.
Highlighting the progress of the joint venture, Bora stated, “Since last year, the joint venture has been operational. In the current fiscal year (2023-24), artificial insemination has been conducted on 3,74,438 cows, accounting for 43.37% of our annual target.”
The minister also announced that the upcoming National Milk Day on November 26 will be celebrated in Guwahati, commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien, the “Father of India’s White Revolution”.
Earlier in January 2022, the government and NDDB inked a historic agreement, forming a Rs 2,000-crore joint venture to revolutionise the state’s dairy sector.
The joint venture aims to process 10 lakh litres of milk through six new units within seven years, benefiting over 1,75,000 dairy farmers in Assam.
To ensure the success of this joint venture, the Assam government pledges financial aid and support through relevant departments, in collaboration with the Union government’s various schemes. NDDB, as the guiding force, will bring in technological innovations like sex-sorted semen, Ration Balancing Programme, Ethno veterinary medicine, and manure management projects to elevate Assam’s dairy sector.
