NPDD: Exploring India’s Dairy Industry Development

India is the highest milk producer globally, contributing 24.64% of global milk production in 2021-22. Between 2014-15 and 2022-23, the milk production has increased to 230.58 Mn Tonnes. Let’s take a look at how the Dairy Development Program has helped in the increase globally.

Objectives

The Dairy Development Department mainly aims to give financial assistance for dairy development. Let’s take a look at the objectives of the Dairy Development Programme.

• The central government is to provide Rs. 15 crores per district for the Dairy Development Program.

• Assistance for technical input services is to be given at 15% of the project cost.

• The central government grants Rs. 5 crores per district for milk powder plants and is only for dairy cooperatives.

• Central grants Rs. 5 crores for rehabilitation assistance.

• Assistance for working capital is restricted to the value of "21 days milk procurement" as projected in the final year of the project.

• 10% of the project cost is to be set aside for Information and Communication Technology (ITC).

• Assistance for manpower and skill development will be made available for setting up or upgrading training centres, with a maximum of Rs. 75 lakhs or 5% of the total project cost, whichever is lower.

• Assistance for manpower and skill development is available for setting up or upgrading training centres, with a maximum of Rs. 75 lakh or 5% of the total project cost, whichever is lower.

• The subsidy will include the cost of cattle, animal insurance, and transportation.

• Assistance for cattle induction will only be available to BPL families, Scheduled Tribes, and Scheduled Castes.

• To establish or upgrade a milk powder plant with a 30 metric tonnes capacity, surplus milk from several districts can be pooled to ensure the plant is economically viable.

Benefits

The Dairy Development Scheme offers valuable support to boost dairy farming and cattle health. Here’s a quick look at its key benefits:

• Financial Assistance: Aids in the purchase of cattle feed, concentrates and mineral mixtures.

• Employment: Employment opportunities in the dairy industry including the processing and marketing of milk and dairy products.

• Productivity Increase: Farmers were trained and technological assistance was provided to improve milk output.

• Health Programs: Regular animal health camps and FMD vaccination campaigns.

Documents Required

To apply, you’ll need to gather a few important documents. Here’s what you’ll need to provide:

• Proof of identity (Aadhaar card)

• Membership verification with the local dairy cooperative

• Relevant financial and cattle ownership documents

What Are The Services Provided To Milk Producers?

The Dairy Development Program aims to provide services for the milk producers as well. The services provided to them under this govt scheme are.

• Doorstep veterinary services provide around 18 lakh Artificial Insemination (AI) and is being done per year.

• A subsidy of Rs. 2-4 per kg is given for cattle feed, with rates revised monthly according to current market prices.

• Milk producers receive a subsidy of Rs. 25 per kg for mineral mixtures.

• Regular animal health camps are held in villages for mass deworming and to treat infertility cases in almost all district milk unions.

• Green fodder and fodder slips are provided to milk producers through fodder cultivation on union land.

• FMD vaccinations are carried out twice a year in connection with the Animal Husbandry Department, covering around 17 lakh animals in Tamil Nadu.

• Regular training programs are provided for milk producers and village-level workers at training centres.

• District unions share the profits with milk producers and give incentives ranging from 60 paise to Rs. 1.60 per litre.

• When the society earns a profit, 50% of it is reinvested into milk production as stated in the by-laws of the Milk Producers Cooperative Societies.

• Bulk Milk Coolers (BMC) are installed as needed, based on producer requests and budget allocations under this scheme.

Conclusion

The dairy development scheme helps improve dairy farming and boost milk production and productivity. This will also help meet the dairy consumption demand of the nation, 180 million MT. The NDDB is planning to reach 200 million MT to meet the largest and fastest-growing markets in the world.

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