A budget of Rs 167.48 crore for the financial year 2018-19 was presented in the annual general body meeting of the Nainital milk producers cooperative union here on Monday. This year, the union has earned a net profit of Rs 59.93 lakh, said its office bearers. The meet was inaugurated by the State Dairy Development and Cooperatives Minister Dhan Singh Rawat along with Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari and local MLA Navin Dumka with the union’s president Bharat Singh Negi.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Rawat said that the State Government had decided to work for conservation of the Badri variety of cow found in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand. He said that 1.25 lakh families involved in dairy production are directly benefiting from the Government scheme for them. All the dairy cooperative committees in the state have been computerised and lactometers have also been provided to test the milk quality. Stating that the government is aiming to double the income of farmers, he added that priority is also being accorded to fiscal discipline and management. The state government has also decided to cover cattle rearers under the Pashudhan Bima Yojana. About 1040 women have benefitted so far under the Ganga Gai Mahila Dairy Yojana. The State Government has also decided to provide 50 paise per litre as encouragement to secretaries of dairy committees in the mountainous regions. The government has also decided to provided loan for purchasing milch cattle under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Sahakari Kisan Kalyan Yojana, he informed. Further, all the dairy committees have also decided to make digital payments to the dairy producers. Rawat claimed that the dairy development department is committed to ensuring the welfare of dairy producers and is also implementing various schemes for this purpose. MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari appreciated the role of the Nainital milk producers cooperative union, adding that other such unions should take inspiration from the Nainital union. In his address, the union president Bharat Singh Negi spoke about the union’s activities, while also stressing on villagers getting their milch cattle insured.