Chandigarh, Oct 3 (UNI) union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah today said that India has become the world's largest milk-producing country. Under the White Revolution-2, over 75,000 dairy cooperatives have been established nationwide, strengthening nearly 40,000 dairy cooperative institutions.
He said the government's goal is to connect every village in the country to the cooperative movement by 2029.
The union Home Minister said this while addressing the gathering on the occasion of the inauguration of the expansion plant of Sabar Dairy (Amul plant) at IMT Rohtak today. He said that the plant will produce 150 metric tons of curd, 3 metric tons of buttermilk, 10 metric tons of yogurt, and 10 metric tons of sweets daily. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also remained present on the occasion.
Addressing the farmers present, union Home and Cooperation Minister Shah said the dairy sector in India has seen the fastest global growth with a development rate of 70 per cent over the past 11 years. Compared to 2014, growth in the dairy sector has risen from 86 per cent to 120 per cent.
He shared that in 2014, milk production in the country was 140 million tons, which has now increased to 249 million tons. The production of milk from indigenous cows has also risen from 29 million tons to 50 million tons, marking a significant achievement. Today, 8 crore new farmers are engaged in the dairy sector. As a result, per capita milk availability has increased from 124 grams in 2014 to 471 grams per day currently.
Honouring the resilience of Haryana's women, Shah highlighted that the state sends the largest number of youth to the paramilitary forces and the Indian Army. He said that every third medal in the country is won by athletes from Haryana, and the state's contribution to the country's food storage is paramount.
The union Home Minister also acknowledged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled the long-standing demand for a separate ministry for cooperatives and established new dimensions in this sector. He said that in the past four years, with the support of state governments, the Ministry of Cooperation has worked to strengthen the foundation of cooperation.
Shah further said that today, Amul Dairy has launched the country's largest plant for milk, buttermilk, sweets, and yogurt in Haryana. Since people in Haryana consume the most milk and buttermilk, the plant aims to improve supply not only to Haryana but also to the NCR region, he said.
The union Home Minister said that starting with three people in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district, Sabar Dairy initially expanded to 9 districts in Gujarat and today operates a business worth Rs 85,000 crore in India and abroad.
The company has pledged to double the capacity of this plant within the next year. He assured that the plant will benefit every district of Haryana and connect lakhs of farmers. This dairy plant will be a milestone in Haryana's prosperity.
Shah promised Haryana's livestock farmers that the benefits of the embryo transfer and sex determination scheme will reach all farmers. He also emphasized the need to promote beekeeping and organic farming in Haryana.
The Home Minister said the Central government has set three goals for the benefit of livestock farmers, including animal feed, manure management, and circular use of residues from dairy animals.
Addressing the farmers, Shah said the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) has been a boon for this sector. An Animal Husbandry Fund has been established to help farmers.
He said the government plans to establish plants three times faster in the future to ensure Indian dairy products reach worldwide markets and farmers become self-reliant. The government's goal is to promote research and increase the number of plants in this sector.