CM outlines govt effort to boost dairy sector

SHILLONG, Feb 12: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday said the state government is making the required investment to upscale the dairy sector in Meghalaya.
“Government of Meghalaya is working with different Dairy Cooperative Societies to encourage milk production across the state,” the chief minister said during the foundation-laying ceremony for a new dairy complex at Ganol in West Garo Hills.
Funded by the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), Government of India, the new plant will have a capacity of 10,000 litres per day. The existing plant at Ganol has a capacity of 1,000 litres per day.
While NPDD has funded Rs. 9.15 crore, the Milk Producers’ Union of West Garo Hills has contributed Rs. 86.27 lakh for the project.
It is also projected to benefit 15 Dairy Cooperative Societies in Garo Hills region and directly impact about 300 households.
After laying the base for the dairy complex, the chief minister said that the state government, through the flagship ‘Dairy Mission’ programme, has charted out various interventions to promote dairy farming.
He also informed that the new dairy complex at Ganol will have a chilling, processing and packaging, and distribution unit.
The chief minister also maintained that livestock provides a lucrative opportunity for the farming community.
“Almost 50 per cent of the meat products available in the state, including pork, beef, mutton, poultry, fish and dairy products are imported from different regions of India as our production is low. The livestock business amounts to the tune of about Rs. 4,500 crore in the state, which means that about Rs. 2,250 crore goes outside the state,” he said, while encouraging local entrepreneurs to harness the opportunity that is available in the livestock sector.
He informed that the Dairy Mission, amounting to Rs. 215 crore, aims to provide opportunities to the farming community and entrepreneurs through cooperative societies.
Conrad also informed that the government is set to launch the Poultry Mission and Goatery Mission for which Rs 120 crore and Rs 75 core have been earmarked respectively.
The chief minister also urged people to avail benefits of livestock programmes of the government and avail interest-free loans through formation of cooperative societies.
“We see a great opportunity in livestock production and believe that through this programme we will be able to provide livelihood and income generation amongst the people of the State,” he added.