Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while chairing a high level meeting of Animal Husbandry department here today directed to establish the dairy cooperative societies across the State on mission mode. To boost the dairy production these societies could play a crucial role in providing employment and self employment opportunities to the youth in the dairy sector.
He said that currently in 910 panchayats, dairy cooperative societies are functional and the department should work hard to increase the number of functional societies. Reviewing the work progress of Dagwar Milk processing plant in Kangra district, he directed to constitute a committee to monitor the same and get it expedited.
He said that the State Government was setting up this milk processing plant with the capacity of 1.50 lakh litre per day with a total cost of Rs. 225 crore. He said that this plant was expected to be completed by June, 2026 benefitting the farmers of Kangra, Una, Hamirpur and Chamba districts.
Sh. Sukhu said, "The present State Government was making earnest efforts to strengthen the rural economy. We want to enhance the income of the farmers associated with the dairy sector, therefore, the State Government has raised the MSP to Rs. 51 per litre for cow milk and Rs. 61 per litre for buffalo milk."
He said that due to the efforts of the Government the milk procurement of MILKFED has increased by 17 percent in last three years. The State Government was contemplating to establish six new milk processing plants and milk chilling plants in Jhalera in Una district, Jhaladi in Hamirpur district, Nahan in Sirmaur district, Mohal in Kullu district, Nalagarh in Solan district and Rohru in Shimla district with an outlay of Rs. 120 crore, he said.
This would also go a long way in collecting the milk from the farmers thereby strengthening their economy.Sh. Sukhu directed the MILKFED to promote the brand 'Him-Ghee' of 'Pahari Cow Milk' so as to provide remunerative prices to the farmers. He also reviewed the ongoing works of establishing 'Gau Sadans' in the State and instructed to expedite these projects.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Col. (Dr.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Animal Husbandry Minister Chander Kumar, MLA Chander Shekhar, Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar, Secretary Animal Husbandry Ritesh Chauhan, Director Animal Husbandry Dr. Sanjeev Dhiman, Managing Director MILKFED Vikas Sood and other senior officers also attended the meeting.