‘Farmers must find alternative means to boost income’

Chandigarh, July 15

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said hi-tech and mini dairy schemes were being run by the state government to enable the small farmers and youth in rural areas to start their own ventures. Under the scheme, which aims to increase milk production along with providing self-employment opportunities to the youth, 25 per cent subsidy was given on the cost of the animals for the setting up of a mini dairy of up to 10 milch animals.

Under the scheme to provide employment to SCs, a 50 per cent subsidy is given on opening a dairy of two or three milch animals. Apart from this, interest subvention is given on the setting up of a hi-tech dairy of 20 or more milch animals. As many as 13,244 dairies have been established so far during the tenure of the present government.

Khattar was interacting with the mini and hi-tech dairy owners of the state through audio-conferencing as part of the ‘CM ki Vishesh Charcha’ programme today.

While maintaining a direct dialogue with dairy owners, he said they were not only the beneficiaries of hi-tech and mini dairy units, but also progressive cattle rearers who strengthen the rural economy and provide employment opportunities to the youth in the villages itself.

He said along with farming, Indians have an ancient tradition of rearing milch animals. As land holdings are continuously shrinking now, farmers need to find alternative means to generate additional sources of income and dairying is a good option for this, said the Chief Minister.

Referring to the heavy rains that lashed different parts of the state recently, he said crops have been damaged due to excessive rainfall in Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat and Kaithal districts. Instructions have been given to the deputy commissioners of these districts to get green or dry fodder from the districts where there was no waterlogging and make it available to the cattle rearers. He assured all assistance to the cattle rearers of the state for the animal husbandry businesses so that the vital contribution of animal husbandry in the development of the rural economy of the state could increase further.

The CM said the cooperative movement had played an important role in bringing white revolution in the country. Quoting the example of Amul, he said today Amul’s milk products were available in every part of the country. A network of cooperative milk societies was also spread in Haryana.

New milk plant at Bindawas village soon

• There are 3,300 cooperative milk societies in the state for the purchase of milk. Apart from this, the state has six milk plants for processing, whose daily capacity is 9.45 lakh litres.
• The CM said the state was setting up a new milk plant at Bindawas village in Rewari at a cost of Rs 200 crore with milk processing capacity of 500 lakh litres per day.
• It is an added advantage for the milk producers of the state that a huge market of Delhi was available for sale of milk and milk products, the CM added.
• He said under the Mukhyamantri Dugdh Utpadak Protsahan Yojana, incentive at the rate of Rs 5 per litre was given to the milk producers of the cooperative milk societies in the state.