Govt to launch national dairy plan to boost milk production

NEW DELHI: Aiming to increase the country's milk production by up to 80 per cent, the Centre is planning to launch a national dairy plan with an investment of over Rs 17,000 crore.

"The Union Government is working on a comprehensive plan to increase milk production to reach a level of about 160 to 180 million tonnes by 2021," Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said on Saturday at a national conference of state ministers of animal husbandry and dairy development.

"Under the new initiative, a national dairy plan is being envisaged with an investment of more than Rs 17,000 crore," he said, adding that the government is exploring the possibility of tapping funds from the World Bank to provide cheap loans.

"As the World Bank does not finance 100 per cent of the project, some responsibility will be taken by the Centre," Pawar said. The proposed investment will be spread over five to six years.

India is estimated to have produced about 102 million tonnes of milk in 2007-08. The plan envisages bringing 65 per cent of marketable surplus of milk produced under the organised sector for procurement compared with the present 30 per cent.