Tuesday, 22 OCTOBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The State government will clear dues of dairy producers before Deepawali. Stating this while addressing the media on Monday, the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fishery minister Saurabh Bahuguna said that Aanchal will organise Diwali Mela at six locations in the State in which dairy products of Aanchal will also be sold.
Bahuguna claimed that the State government under chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is working for the welfare of those involved in animal husbandry with various incentives being provided to farmers for this purpose. The minister informed that Rs 12 crore is due to farmers from dairy unions and similarly, Rs 5.89 crore in dairy incentive amount is also due to the farmers. All these dues will be cleared before Deepawali. “This will benefit about 53,000 dairy producers. During the past two and half years, the State government has raised the rate of milk from Rs eight to Rs 11 per litre while the average increase in rate per year was Re one to Rs 1.25 per litre in the past. As a result of the steps taken by the government, the farmers are motivated to sell milk and dairy products through Aanchal. This is the reason why the turnover of the dairy federation has increased from Rs 20.94 crore to 43.78 crore in two years while the profit has increased from Rs 2.71 crore to Rs 7.23 crore,” he said.
Bahuguna said that the government is implementing various schemes to increase the income of farmers. The government is providing assistance to farmers for purchasing a cow or buffalo and has increased the subsidy on silage from 50 per cent to 75 per cent. “The cost of hay in 2022 had risen to Rs 1,600 per quintal, after which the government has been providing a 50 per cent subsidy on such fodder. Apart from this, new products have been launched to make Aanchal more profitable. The department is organising a two-day Diwali Mela through Aanchal in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Dehradun, Haridwar, Champawat and Chamoli before Deepawali to further enhance the income of farmers. In addition to products of the farmers, stalls publicising department works and schemes will also be set up in these fairs. In addition to this, the government is also trying to mitigate migration and boost self employment through fishery, poultry and goat rearing. The efforts of the Uttarakhand government received a boost on Monday with the Union Home minister Amit Shah launching our Badri Ghee in Gujarat. This will help this product gain an identity at the national level,” he said.
