UP Govt launches Nand Baba Milk Mission scheme at cost of Rs 1000 crores

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 11 : Uttar Pradesh government has launched Nand Baba Milk Mission Scheme at the cost of Rs 1000 crore to increase milk production on the one hand and to give milk producers fair prices for their produce in villages itself, an official statement said on Sunday.
According to the statement, under the mission, milk cooperative societies will be formed in the villages to promote precision dairy farming, increase per-animal milk productivity along with providing a proper market to rural milk producers.
In this regard, Commissioner of the Dairy Development Department Shashi Bhushan Lal Susheel said that the entire country produces 221 million metric tonnes of milk and UP alone produces 33 million metric tonnes.
"Uttar Pradesh is the leading milk-producing state of the country. The entire country produces 221 million metric tonnes of milk, while UP alone produces 33 million metric tonnes. On the other hand, 444 grams of milk is available per person per day in the country, while per person per day availability of milk is 392 grams in the state. The participation of the organised and unorganised sectors in milk collection is 21 pc and 79 pc respectively," he said.
He further mentioned that there is a lack of availability of market for milk producers in rural areas but efforts are underway to increase the number.
"At present, there is a lack of availability of market for milk producers in rural areas, but efforts are on to increase the number. Similarly, steps are being taken to increase the number of value-added animal feed/fodder and organized animal feed manufacturing units. Along with this, the focus will be on increasing the per animal per day milk productivity which is less in UP as compared to other states," he said.
"Steps will also be taken to overcome the shortcomings in terms of lack of required skills in milk processing and precision dairy farming. The availability of processed milk and milk products will be increased at reasonable prices and the participation of the organized sector in milk processing will also be expanded soon," he added.
He further mentioned that CM Yogi named this mission after Nand Baba as he was the world's biggest cow breeder, milk collector, butter producer and foster father of Lord Shri Krishna.
"Nand Baba had 9 lakh cows and had donated 2 lakh cows to the people for their livelihood. Keeping all this in mind, it has been named 'Nand Baba Milk Mission'," he said.
The mission's goal is to reach from cow to the customer. Under this, the value chain involves production-collection-processing-consumer. The mission will focus on increasing milk productivity, enlarging milk collection and processing capacity, capacity development and value protection.