NDDB to run Varanasi Milk Union plant

New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will now manage the Varanasi Milk Union plant with biogas-based tri generation, first of its kind in India, in an attempt to promote dairy farming aimed at 2 lakh litres milk in Uttar Pradesh.

Varanasi is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Parliamentary constituency.

The NDDB was requested by the Uttar Pradesh government to strengthen the state's dairy cooperative business and an MoU was signed between the state government's Pradeshik Cooperative Dairy Federation Ltd (PCDF), the Varanasi Milk Union and the NDDB during a virtual ceremony on Monday, a release from NDDB said here.

Noting that the Uttar Pradesh government launched the project in a record time, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Atul Chaturvedi said, with the MoU, "Project Gir" has been launched in Uttar Pradesh to fulfill Prime Minister Modi's dream of increasing milk production.

"Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, inducted Gir cows will be used to increase productivity through IVF technology and soon the Varanasi Milk Union plant will be able to process two lakh litres of milk," he said.

Chaturvedi also said that Varanasi Milk Union will be the country's first milk Union to have biogas-based tri generation plant installed. The plant is expected to suffice the entire energy need of the dairy and contribute significantly towards reducing carbon footprint by reducing usage of traditional fuels.

Uttar Pradesh's Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister, Lakshmi Narayan Chaudhari said that in line with the Prime Minister's aim of doubling farmers' income, this developmental initiative of the NDDB will motivate and involve milk producers and provide them the required economic resilience.

"This MoU will provide milk producers of Uttar Pradesh essential market access, while broadly keeping in view sustainability and viability of the overall operations. This unique technology-driven initiative will eventually bring rural prosperity," he said and appreciated NDDB's expertise in setting up modern dairy plants across India and making them profitable.

Stating that NDDB's intervention will bring the much needed transformation of rural households in Uttar Pradesh, Joint Secretary, Cattle & Dairy Development, Varsha Joshi mentioned the need for working together to fulfill the Prime Minister's vision of enhancing farmers income, empowering women, conserving environment and using apt technology.

NDDB Chairman Meenesh Shah, assured necessary support to the Varanasi Milk Union and said that the board's efforts will be to streamline the governance processes, focus on providing remunerative price to milk producers and ensure that consumers get safe and hygienic liquid milk and milk products, the release added.