Shimla: Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania has welcomed the state government’s decision to increase the incentive for milk producers from Rs. 3 to Rs. 6 per litre and expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
He said that the decisions being taken by the state government under the Chief Minister’s visionary leadership were directly benefiting thousands of livestock-rearing families and strengthening the rural economy.
He said that eligible milk producers associated with non-governmental dairy cooperative societies would now receive an incentive of Rs. 6 per litre through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The government has allocated Rs. 14 crore for this purpose.
He further said that daily milk procurement in the state had increased from one lakh litres to nearly three lakh litres. Meanwhile, a modern milk processing plant was being established at Dhagwar in Kangra district at a cost of around Rs. 250 crore, with an initial processing capacity of 1.50 lakh litres per day. In addition, Rs. 150 crore would be spent over the coming years to strengthen milk collection and processing facilities in different districts.
Deputy Chief Whip said that the state government’s aim was to develop animal husbandry beyond a traditional occupation and establish it as a respectable and profitable source of livelihood. The government was continuously working to ensure fair prices for milk, timely payments, direct benefit transfers and access to modern milk processing facilities.
