PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Uttarkashi
Aanchal Dairy, operating in the district’s Matli region, has become a vital hub for strengthening the rural economy. Hundreds of livestock farmers from remote villages like Jakhol, Kharsali, Dhauntari and Chinyalisaur reach the dairy daily with milk to sell. The prices they get for milk are reasonable and this results in a significant increase in the rural families’ income.
Further, the State government’s direct benefit transfer (DBT)-based milk incentive scheme has given a new hope to livestock farmers of this region. They hail the initiative, saying that it has stabilised their incomes. Add to this the Animal Husbandry department’s technical assistance and training programmes and things become clear as to why the quality and quantity of milk production keep on improving.
Notably, the State government has given a new direction to rural empowerment by linking milk production with the Atma Nirbhar Bharat mission and self-employment schemes. Recently, the government provided significant relief to consumers by removing GST from milk products. Consequently, milk-based sweets will now be available at cheaper prices than before during Diwali.
The dairy manager, Santosh Kumar Singh said that Aanchal Dairy is no longer just a milk collection centre but has become a symbol of rural self-reliance and economic empowerment. “The monthly income of the livestock farmers who are associated with the dairy is increasing steadily,” he affirmed, adding that Uttarkashi’s dairy industry is gradually registering a strong presence in the State’s dairy economy.
