Ranike demands raiding and sampling rights for DDD

Phagwara, May 16 (UNI) Gulzar Singh Ranike, Minister for Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry today urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to empower Dairy Development Department (DDD) for sampling and raiding the premises of those preparing milk products.

Talking with newspersons here today, he also asked the chief minister to allow export of milk powder for the benefit of the state. Mr Ranike said that state government will spend Rs 3.65 Crore to set up "Gaushalas" in every district of the state.

Earlier, Gulzar Singh Ranike inaugurated a demonstration dairy plant in Phagwara. In modernisation and enrichment of dairy farming in the state, Mr Ranike said that Punjab dairy development board has established a dairy training and extension counter in two acre piece of land at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore in Chatamli village of Ropar district.

Breeding and milk management, including practical training in dairy farming, would be imparted to trainees, the minister said.

He said that the department for admission to dairy entrepreneurship has received more than 700 applications. Keeping in view the great demand, the minister said that such dairy training centers would start functioning at Taran Tarn, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepur soon.

Mr Ranike said that institution finance would be available to interested trainees. Punjab StateAgriculture Bank, besides Allahabad Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce, have also started giving loans for dairying with 3 per cent less interest than the primary lending rate.

UNI