Farmers and livestock owners of insurgency hit Dantewada district of South Bastar region in Chhattisgarh have come together to form a cooperative committee for commencing production and sale of milk.
The committee has been registered as ‘Kshirsagar Doodh Utpadak Sahkari Samiti’ (Kshirsagar Milk Producer Cooperative Committee’, officials informed.They stated that in retaliation to the so-called ‘red revolution’ of Maoists, farmers and livestock owners of the tribal dominated district have introduced a unique model, which will certainly prove beneficial in their economic growth.
This project will enhance the production of milk and dairy products in South Bastar, official stated.Consumption of dairy products will help in improving health of locals, especially children. This project has been taken up on the special initiative of Chief Minister Raman Singh, on the lines of the globally renowned ‘Amul’ Dairy project of Gujarat.
Dantewada District Collector KC Dev Senapati stated that presently, the committee consists of only 20 members. In the near future, more number of farmers will be encouraged to join this committee.He said that the project has unleashed the way for dairy industry in Dantewada district. Dev stated that a pasteurization unit equipped with ultramodern equipment has been established under the project. The unit will enable daily production and distribution of 2000 litres of milk.
The committee of farmers is likely to earn monthly income of nearly Rs32 lakh from this business.In this way, the estimated profit share of each member would be nearly Rs1.25 lakh. The pasteurized milk produced in the plant will be distributed in packets.On 15th August, during the Independence Day celebrations, milk production and dairy business based ‘Kshirsagar’ Project was formally inaugurated by School Education and Tribal and Scheduled Caste Development Minister Kedar Kashyap.
Notably in Anand town of Gujarat, cooperative based Amul Dairy Project was initiated in year 1946 with production and distribution of 247 litres of milk. And after 68 years of commencement of Amul project, ‘Kshirsagar’ project has been initiated in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on the lines of Amul project but the daily production and distribution capacity of Kshirsagar project is nearly 2,000 litres, officials stated.District Collector Dev Senapati and CEO of District Panchayat Saransh Mittar have assured that the administration will extend every possible aid for the project. Under the project, number of groups consisting six farmers in each have been formed and affiliated to the cooperative committee. Financial aid of Rs16 lakh has been provided to these groups by Chhattisgarh Government, which includes special grant of Rs10 lakh.
The Animal Husbandry Development Department has provided healthy cows to the farmers of the committee. Shades have been constructed and advanced fodder ‘Ajola’ has been made available to farmers to ensure that the cows are well taken care of.Moreover, the district administration has established Pasteurization unit at the cost of Rs 50 lakh to ensure preservation of milk collected by farmers for a long time. Moreover, a vehicle has also been made available to enable transportation of milk to Chilling Centre.
Collector Dev Senapati stated that supply of milk in Dantewada district is relatively low, but the district has good potential for production of milk and dairy products.Owing to lack of preservation facilities, the livestock owners did not have much interest in the dairy business. On the other hand, low consumption of milk was leading to malnutrition in children.
District Panchayat CEO Saransh Mittar told that PORTA cabins have been installed as boarding schools for children of insurgency affected villages.With the help of Kshirsagar project, good quality milk will be supplied to such PORTA cabins in sufficient quantity.