Cooperation Minister advises NDDB to make India “dairy to the world” with Cooperatives at Centre

New Delhi : Shri Amit Shah, Hon’ble Minister of Home Affairs & Cooperation, Government of India appreciated National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)’s initiatives in the Indian Dairy Sector and asked the Dairy Board to further strengthen cooperative dairying by playing a major role in establishing viable dairy cooperatives in uncovered Panchayats/ villages having potential for dairying.

The Hon’ble Minister also highlighted the need for multi-commodity cooperatives, common brand for export of produce of cooperatives, promotion of organic produce, better capacity utilisation of milk processing facilities by cooperation among cooperatives, self-reliance in manufacturing dairy machinery & also export of indigenous dairy equipment through IDMC Ltd, a subsidiary of NDDB. Hon’ble Union Minister also mentioned that the subsidiary companies of NDDB have to play a lead and stellar role in achieving these.

Shri Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB welcomed the Hon’ble Union Minister in the presence of Cooperation Secretary Shri Gyanesh Kumar, Joint Secretary Shri Pankaj Kumar Bansal and NDDB Board of Directors Ms Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary (Dairy Development), Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, GoI, Shri Shamalbhai Balabhai Patel, Chairman, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd., Shri Nihal Chand Sharma, Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Ltd and Dr NH Kelawala, Vice Chancellor, Kamdhenu University.

The Hon’ble Cooperation Minister also acknowledged NDDB’s initiatives to strengthen dairying in neighbouring countries and African nations, and said India needs to become “Dairy to the World” through export of quality milk and milk products to further enhance farmers’ income. This will help fulfill Hon’ble Prime Minister’s goal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

Chairman, NDDB briefed the Hon’ble Minister about India’s dairy sector, NDDB’s ‘Farmers First’ vision for undertaking all its initiatives following cooperative strategies, scientific dairy husbandry practices adopted by farmers, efforts of NDDB’s subsidiaries to strengthening dairy cooperatives thereby improving the livelihood of crores of farmers and thus furthering the objectives of NDDB. Chairman and Board of Directors of NDDB thanked the Hon’ble Minister for his guidance and assured him of full support towards the development of the dairy sector.

About National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India. It was established in 1965 to promote, finance, and support the development of the dairy sector in the country with help of its subsidiaries – Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt Ltd, Indian Immunologicals Ltd, IDMC Ltd, NDDB Dairy Services, NDDB Mrida Ltd and NDDB CALF Ltd.