LEH/JAMMU, May 1: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said India’s livestock and dairy sector has undergone a major transformation since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, with milk production rising sharply by 70 per cent in just one decade.
“There has been a major transformation in the livestock and dairy sector across the country after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014. With the creation of a dedicated Animal Husbandry Department, several revolutionary changes have taken place,” he said at an event to launch several projects in the dairy sector.
Shah said the country’s milk production has increased from 143 million tonnes in 2014-15 to around 248 million tonnes in 2024-25, marking nearly 70 per cent growth in just ten years.
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“Nearly 50 per cent of this growth has come in the last five years,” Shah said.
He said per capita milk availability has increased from 307 grams per day in 2014 to around 485 grams at present, describing milk as an essential component of nutrition, especially for children.
“Pasteurised milk plays an important role in meeting children’s nutritional needs,” he said.
The home minister expressed hope that Ladakh would also achieve the national average of 485 grams of milk availability per person per day to ensure better nutrition for future generations.
Laying focus on achievements, he said milk powder production has also increased from 15,000 metric tonnes in 2014–15 to around 24,000 metric tonnes.
“Similarly, per capita availability (in another category) has increased from 148 grams to around 214 grams. I believe that the national average of 485 grams per day should also be achieved in Ladakh, ensuring adequate nutrition for future generations,” he added.
Highlighting the expansion of the cooperative network, Shah said India now has over 2.36 lakh dairy cooperative societies with around 20 million milk producers associated with them.
He added that the government has set a target of establishing 75,000 new dairy cooperative societies within five years, of which more than 21,000 have already been formed.
“Simultaneously, efforts are underway to modernise nearly 46,000 existing societies.”
The minister urged the Ladakh administration to tap the full potential of villages suitable for livestock rearing, keeping in view local climatic conditions.
He also called for promoting cooperative-based development in allied sectors, such as organic farming and honey production, in the region.
Shah said such initiatives would not only enhance farmers’ incomes but also strengthen the rural economy and contribute to sustainable development in Ladakh. (PTI)
