Govt to take steps to produce more milk in state: Minister

Hyderabad, May 17 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Mandali Budda Prasad today said the government would take steps to increase milk production in the state under Indira Kranthi Patham (IPK) to strengthen village economy.

Addressing officers at the state-level workshop on 'Empowering dairy farmers through milk procurement under IPK,' he said the state government had allocated Rs 500 crore in the Budget for this year and action plan would be prepared to develop the dairy industry in the state.

The Minister said the government has decided to increase the population of livestock by another 25 per cent to incease the milk production and if necessary, the government would import animals from other states.

The government decided to supply 2,000 animals to 16 drought-hit districts in the state with 50 per cent subsidy and proposed to establish 136 Bulk Cooling Units (BCU) in 136 mandals at a cost of Rs 75 crore. District dairies and chilling centres in milkshed districts under Andhra Pradesh Dairy Development Cooperative Federation (APDDCF) would be strengthened at a cost of Rs five crore.

It was proposed to modernise milk products factory in the city at a cost of Rs ten crore and supply cattle feed at 25 per cent subsidy for milch animals at Rs 3,000 per metric tonne.

The government proposed to provide automatic milk collection at villages and bulk cooling units at a cost of Rs five crore.

In his address Rural Development Minister G Chinna Reddy said the state was committed to improve the economic condition of the villagers by giving priority to agriculture and related sectors.

He said ten per cent GDP growth rate would be possible by increasing agricultural development for which the government had taken steps.

The government had allocated Rs 500 crore in the Budget for the current financial year for rural development which would be increased to Rs 1,000 crore by next year.

UNI