National Milk Day Observed
Bhubaneswar, 26/11/2024: Government has newly launched Mukhyamantri Kamadhenu Yojana with priority on dairying, set to double the milk production in the State in the next 5 years. Financial assistance of up to one Crore rupees is being provided for establishing dairy units and milk processing plants under Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyoga Yojana, said Sri Gokulananda Mallick, Minister, Fisheries and ARD, MSME while urging upon the dairy farmers, women, entrepreneurs and youth of the State. He was speaking in a programme organised by Fisheries and ARD Department to mark National Milk Day.
Paying deep tributes to Dr. Varghese Kurien, father of white revolution in the country on the occasion and elaborated on various schemes to boost cattle farming and milk production. He said that our State produces around 72 Lakh Liters of milk per day. While the per capita requirement is 300 gms of milk per day, about 160 gms of milk is being produced in our State. With the changing scenario, Government has taken prioritized steps to enhance milk production. To provide livestock healthcare services in rural areas, 314 Mobile Veterinary Units are working in the State. Artificial insemination is being done through sex sorted semen in order to make dairying more profitable. Dairy farmers are also being provided assistance for fodder cultivation, vaccination and deworming of animals etc, he said.
The programe was organised at the Veterinary College Auditorium, OUAT in which Suresh Kumar VAshishth, Principal Secretary of FARD said that about 3 lakh dairy farmers are being benefited through 3700 milk producers’ cooperative societies of OMFED. They are being provided with subsidy on feed and are being trained for better dairy farming practices.
Kishore Chandra Pradhan, President, OMFED, Vijaya Amrita Kulange, CMD, OMFED, Ramasish Hazra, Director, ARD, Gautam Patra, Convener, SLBC, Susena Kumar Panda, Dean, Veterinary College, OUAT and Dr. Ashok Tripathy, Addl. Director also spoke on the occasion. About 25 successful milk farmers and entrepreneurs were felicitated on the occasion. A technical session was also held to highlight on the current scenario of milk production in the State, Government interventions in the sector and on livestock healthcare services.
