NDDB-NABARD to develop livestock economy: Jairam

Anand, July 14 (UNI) National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the National Board for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) have taken up a joint initiative to create a second line of livelihood for the poor Indian farmers by giving a boost to livestock economy.

Expressing grave concern over the incidents of suicide by farmers in different parts of the country due to crop failure, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today said both NDDB and NABARD had decided to work together for developing livestock economy particularly in vulnerable states so as to provide an alternative source of income to the farmers.

The Minister inaugurated Rs 42 crore Flexible Packaging Plant (FPP) of the Indian Dairy Machinery Company Ltd (IDMC), a subsidiary of the NDDB.

The first round of the meeting on the proposed project was held here yesterday between NDDB Chairperson Dr Amrita Patel and her NABARD counterpart Dr Y S P Thorat in the presence of Union Minister Mr Ramesh.

According to official sources, the project, which is said to have been taken up at the instance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after his recent visit to the Vidarbha region, would be funded by NABARD, while NDDB would provide technical assistance.

The Minister also warned the dairy cooperatives in the country against the entry of private competitors into this sector and political interference. In the fast changing market scenario, Mr Ramesh said the dairy cooperatives which played a pioneering role in the empowerment of the farmers, today face a big challenge to their growth.

He said considering the growth of population in India, the country must double its milk production from the present 90 MT to 180 MT per day in the next 15 years. While the cooperative sector account for only 15 per cent of the milk production, the bulk of production come from the unorganised sector, he added.

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