In what seemed to be a major boost to the effort by Nitish government to promote economic development in the state, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has agreed to help it to work out the roadmap for investing close to Rs.700 crore in next few years for the development of dairy industry in the state.
The official sources disclosed that the development followed the recent meeting between the NDDB chairperson Amrita Patel and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi too.
It was reportedly decided upon at the meeting that NDDB would assist Bihar to chalk out the strategy for investing this huge amount from state exchequer to enhance animal productivity and increase co-operative milk procurement, processing and marketing from a current level of 6 lakh kg to 40 lakh kg per day by 2021-22.
The sources said that NDDB would play a more pro-active role in strengthening dairying and making it a more meaningful and sustainable occupation for millions of milk producers in the State.
"This is a dream project of Nitish Kumar targeting unemployment problem in the state", the sources said.
Going by the arrangements reportedly worked out in the meeting,NDDB would provide assistance, including technical and managerial support to existing dairy co-operatives in Bihar so as to enable them to better serve their members and by promoting a plurality of new producer institutions that remain true to cooperative values.
Besides, NDDB would also assist Bihar State Co-operative Milk Producers Federation (COMFED) and milk unions in Bihar to improve efficiency in operation so as to be able to cope up with competition from private players.
The NDDB also agreed to recommend changes in the state Cooperative Act so as to enable co-operatives enjoy the required business autonomy and have level playing field with the competing private firms as resuscitate by Nitish Kumar.
Source:Tribune,24 Sep,2007
