Tura:
Chief minister Conrad Sangma, on February 12, informed that the government has made the necessary investments for upscaling the dairy sector in the state.
“Government is working with different dairy cooperative societies to encourage milk production across the state,” the chief minister said while laying the foundation stone for a new Dairy Complex at Ganol in West Garo Hills District.
To be constructed at Rs 10.52 crore, the complex is jointly funded by the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) and Milk Producers Union of West Garo Hills, contributing Rs 9.15 crore and Rs 86.27 lakh, respectively. The new plant has the capacity to hold 10,000 litres per day as opposed to the 1,000 litres of the existing plant. Sangma informed that the new dairy complex will come fully equipped with chilling, processing, packaging and distribution units.
The new dairy complex is expected to benefit fifteen dairy cooperative societies in the Garo Hills region and will directly impact about 300 households, he said.
Encouraging local entrepreneurs to harness the opportunity vested in the livestock sector, Sangma said, “Almost 50 per cent of the meat products available in the state – pork, beef, mutton, poultry, fish and dairy products – gets imported from different regions of India as our production is low. The livestock business amounts to the tune of about Rs 4500 crore in the state, which means, the state buys these products that about Rs 2250 crore goes outside the State,” he said.
He also exuded confidence that the state’s flagship “Dairy Mission”, amounting to Rs. 215 crore, will provide opportunities to the farming community and entrepreneurs through cooperative societies.