• January 23, 2025

CM Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Inaugurates State-of-the-Art Milk Processing Plant to Boost Rural Economy in Himachal Pradesh

CM Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Inaugurates State-of-the-Art Milk Processing Plant to Boost Rural Economy in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, today laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art milk processing plant in Dhagwar, Kangra district. The facility, designed to process an impressive 1.50 lakh liters of milk per day (LLPD), will play a crucial role in strengthening the region’s rural economy. This plant has the potential to scale up its processing capacity to 3 LLPD, providing a significant boost to the livelihoods of dairy farmers across Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Chamba, and Una districts, benefiting over 35,000 milk producers.

The Chief Minister emphasized the transformative impact this plant will have, not only by enhancing the income of milk producers but also by generating numerous employment opportunities. The milk processing facility will create jobs in areas such as milk collection, quality control, processing, and distribution. Additionally, it will provide indirect employment in sectors like transportation, supply chain management, and maintenance services, driving economic growth in the region.

Sukhu confirmed that the entire funding for the construction of the plant, which is expected to be completed by February 2026, is being provided by the State Government. Once operational, the plant will facilitate daily payments of Rs. 40 lakh to farmers, strengthening the financial stability of the local dairy sector. The Chief Minister further revealed that the daily milk procurement by Milkfed has already increased from 1.40 lakh liters to 2.10 lakh liters following an increase in milk rates.

The plant will process a wide variety of dairy products, including curd, lassi, butter, ghee, cheese, flavored milk, khoya, and mozzarella cheese, contributing to the growth of the dairy industry and enhancing the variety of locally produced goods. In addition to the Dhagwar plant, Sukhu also highlighted the increased capacity of the Duttnagar milk processing facility in Shimla, where daily capacity has been expanded from 20,000 liters to 70,000 liters, benefiting dairy farmers in surrounding districts like Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, and Kinnaur.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening the rural economy, emphasizing that initiatives such as increasing the minimum support price for cow’s milk and buffalo’s milk were crucial steps toward improving the financial welfare of farmers. The government’s efforts in increasing maize procurement through natural farming, as well as enhancing MGNREGA wages by Rs. 60, demonstrate a clear priority to uplift rural communities.

The event was attended by key leaders, including Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, and various other dignitaries. Together, they underscored the importance of these initiatives in propelling Himachal Pradesh towards self-reliance and prosperity.

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