Anand, July 15 (IANS) The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has worked out a 15-year National Dairy Plan (NDP) with an outlay of Rs.17,000 crore ($3,650 million) to meet the country’s projected milk demand of 180 million tonnes by 2020-21.
NDDB Chairman Amrita Patel told mediapersons here Thursday that after considering the proposed plan, the central government has concluded a series of consultations with 14 major milk producing states.
These states account for more than 90 percent of India’s milk production. The consultations revolved around initiatives to launch a scientifically planned programme to increase bovine productivity and milk production.
Currently, dairying contributes about 8 percent to India’s gross domestic product (GDP) and the plan projections intend to take it to 10 percent. The states have urged the central government to provide funds as grants, not as loans.
To begin with, NDDB would draft detailed project reports for five to six states. Once the central government and the World Bank approve the projects, the NDP’s implementation will begin.
The first phase of NDP, scheduled from April 2011 to March 2017, will involve funds of Rs.1,600 crore, for which a credit line from International Development Agency of World Bank was being sought, Patel told reporters.
‘The current milk production in India stands at 102 million tonnes,’ she added.
Under the NDP, milk production is proposed to be enhanced by increasing productivity through a much more scientific approach for breeding and feeding.
