Punjab Cooperation & Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa today laid the foundation stone of new ultra-modern automatic dairy of 5 lakh litre capacity and a butter plant at Verka Milk Plant, here. This plant would be constructed with a cost of Rs 104 crore and would help in providing good quality dairy products to the residents.During this function, bonus and dividend of around Rs 3.5 crore was also distributed to the dairy cooperative societies for the year 2016-17 and 2017-18.While speaking to media persons on the occasion, Mr Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa stated that for this particular plant, advanced machinery would be installed, through which dairy products would be manufactured as well as packed automatically in a clean atmosphere. Besides, another plant for storage of Verka butter is also being constructed.He further said that when this plant starts production, it would benefit dairy farmers from districts Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Moga, besides other adjoining districts. He said that the Capt Amarinder Singh led Punjab government is committed for promoting dairy farming in the state and that is why, several processing plants are being developed for processing dairy and other agricultural products. He said that the dairy plants are upgraded by the Punjab government in such a manner so that the income of dairy farmers is increased.
While urging the residents to use Verka products, the Minister said that all the dairy and other products manufactured by Verka are produced with the help of latest and most advanced machinery. He said that by using the Verka products, the residents would, in a way, also contribute in supporting the dairy farmers of our state. He also urged the residents to get their milk tested from the in-house laboratories of Verka.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Ludhiana MP Mr Ravneet Singh Bittu, MLAs Mr Rakesh Pandey, Mr Surinder Dawar, Mr Kuldeep Singh Vaid, former minister Mr Malkit Singh Dakha, District Congress Committee (Urban) President Mr Ashwani Sharma, Senior Congress leader Mr Major Singh Bhaini, MC Councillor Mr Harkaran Singh Vaid, Mr Yadwinder Singh Aliwal, Mr Gurdev Singh Lapran, Additional Managing Director Verka Mr Karnail Singh, Verka Ludhiana Plant General Manager Mr BR Madaan, Chairman Mr Bhupinder Singh Kular, Directors Mr Dharamjit Singh Gill, Mr Jaswant Singh, Mr Jagdeep Singh, Mr Kulvir Singh, Mr Gurcharan Singh, Mr Iqbal Singh, besides several others.