Shah asks NDDB to make India “Dairy to the World”
Appreciating the stellar role being played by NDDB in strengthening the dairy co-op movement in the country, Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs & Cooperation raised the bar for the NDDB to reach out to all those panchayats and villages where there is no dairy co-op.
“NDDB needs to further strengthen cooperative dairying by playing a major role in establishing viable dairy cooperatives in uncovered Panchayats/ villages having potential for dairying”, said the minister who met the Board members of NDDB in Delhi on Thursday.
NDDB Chairman Meenesh Shah welcomed the Minister. Those present on this occasion included Cooperation Secretary Gyanesh Kumar, JS Pankaj Kumar Bansal, GCMMF Chairman Shamal Patel, NDDB Board of Directors Ms Varsha Joshi, among others.
Speaking on the occasion, the 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 though IDMC Ltd, a subsidiary of NDDB.
Shah also mentioned that the Subsidiary Companies of NDDB have to play a lead and stellar role in achieving these. 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 fulfil the Prime Minister’s goal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam-The world is One Family, he stated.
The Chairman of NDDB Meenesh Shah briefed the 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 strengthening dairy cooperatives thereby improving the livelihood of crores of farmers and thus furthering the objectives of NDDB.
The Chairman and Board of Directors of NDDB thanked Shah for his guidance and assured him of full support towards the development of the dairy sector.