TURA: In order to create awareness, promote and increase the take off of the subsidy under Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Schemes (DEDS), in West Garo Hills, the District Level Workshop on Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS) was held on Thursday at DRDA Conference Hall, Tura. The workshop was organised by DDM NABARD, Tura in collaboration with the office of the Assistant Director (Dairy) Tura.
Speaking during the workshop, Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh said that people should have the endurance and determination to start any kind of business since there is no achievement without hard work. Moreover, so far as the scheme is concerned, he said that there are many things to take care of and everyone involved in the scheme including the Dairy officials, bankers and farmers should give extra effort to make things move forward and to sensitise the farmers to take care of the animals as their assets and then production will follow suit.
Stating that the district produces about 600 litres of milk at present, he urged the people to take up dairy farming as it provides good income and also directed the dairy officials and the farmers to ensure that their cows are check regularly and keep them healthy and also to identify the edible grasses in the surrounding so that the farmers can feed their animals well from their own backyard and thereby increase milk production in future.
The Assistant Director (Dairy), Tura S M Sangma informed that there is huge deficit in milk availability in the state with 84 grams per capita availability of milk which is even lower in West Garo Hills district with 82 grams per capita availability of milk while the annual milk production in India is 176.35 million metric tonnes and ranks first in the global milk production. He also informed that more than 1000 litres of megha milk are coming from Shillong to Tura daily and more than 1000 litres of Amul pouch milk are coming from Guwahati to Tura on a daily basis.
Therefore, in order to increase milk production and meet the requirements of the people in the district more dairy farmers need to be encouraged to take up dairy farming which can be availed under Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme and Meghalaya Milk Mission provided by the government, he added.
In his presentation on DEDS, District Development Manager, NABARD, Tura M Dkhar highlighted on the structure, objectives and funding pattern of the scheme and informed that this scheme is being promoted as part of the announcement of Prime Minister for doubling of farmers’ income by 2022 in which one is through promotion of milk production. He further said that the scheme had been implemented since 2010 and is continuing in the district, but there are fewer takers. Therefore, he seeks the cooperation of dairy farmers and bankers for the successful implementation of the scheme in the district.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Chairman of DSIDD and General Manager, Meghalaya Rural Bank (MRB), Shillong to implement the scheme in the district so that people receive the maximum benefit from these schemes.