Punjab to train farmers in dairy farming

Ludhiana, Nov 26 (UNI) To further promote dairy farming as an alternative venture to agriculture, the Punjab Dairy Development Department has launched a comprehensive training programme for young dairy farmers and five training centers have been set up for this purpose.

This was revealed by Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh, while addressing the trainees at a special training camp at Dairy Training and Extension Service Centre at Bija village, 30 kms from here today.

The Chief Secretary informed that three more such training centres will be started in March next year. He said that at present 3000 trainees were getting training at the five centres which were operational.

The training involves care of milch cattle and basic treatments of routine health problems. The trainees are also educated about the different schemes of banks for the dairy sector.

The loan limit for each dairy unit has been substantially enhanced from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 20 lakh against two acre land holding of the dairy farmers. He said that the government had also made arrangements to ensure sufficient dose/units of frozen semen of imported hybrid bulls to improve the breed of milch cattle.

The Chief Secretary said that subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh was being given by the state government on loans of Rs 5 lakh for construction of modern cattle sheds.

Addressing the trainees , Dr G S Kalkat, Chairman, Punjab Farmers' Commission said that after comprehensive discussions with experts the new design of cattle sheds had been prepared.

Speaking on this occasion, Dr Inderjit Singh, Director Dairy Development said that during the trainees were also being taught about the preparation of milk products so that they could further add to their income.

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