Question : National Milk Day

(a) whether the Government has recently celebrated the National Milk Day in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the aims and objectives of celebrating the National Milk Day;
(c) whether the Government is aware about the miserable condition of dairy farmers and that lots of dairy farmers are leaving the profession and if so, the details thereof along with the reasons for the same;
(d) whether the Government proposes to provide any financial assistance to the farmers in dairy industry and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether inferior breeds of cattle, unorganized dairy sector, lack of investment and farmers unawareness towards current technology etc. are some of the difficulties faced/being faced by the farmers dealing in this sector; and
(f) the details of steps taken by the Government for influx of investment in the dairy sector so as to make it financially attractive and lucrative sector?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
(SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) and (b) Yes, Sir. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, M/o Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, has celebrated National Milk Day, on November 26, 2021, jointly with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and other institutions created by Dr. Verghese Kurien, at NDDB Campus, Anand on his birth centenary. National Milk Day is observed and celebrated to commomerate Dr. Verghese Kurien’s contribution to Indian dairy sector on his birth anniversary i.e. 26th November every year since 2014.
During the ceremony, the Department has inaugurated an IVF (in vitro fertilization) Lab at Dhamrod, Gujarat and Hessergatta, Karnataka, besides conferring the National Gopal Ratna Awards in three category i) Best Dairy Farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds, ii) Best Artificial Insemination Technician and iii) Best Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS)/ Milk Producer Company/ Dairy Farmer Producer Organization in the country.

(c) The rearing of milch animals and Agriculture are intrinsically linked to each other. The majority of milk in India is produced by small and marginal farmers by rearing 2-5 milch animals at household level. Dairying is an important secondary source of income for millions of rural families and has assumed the most important role in providing self employment and income generating opportunities particularly for women and marginal farmers.
(d) to (f) The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing following schemes to provide financial assistance for Dairy farmers, dairy development, Breed improvement / productivity enhancement and to influx investment in Dairy sector in the country.
i. Provision of Kisan Credit Card (KCC): During the year 2019, Reserve Bank of India has extended the facilities of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries farmers to help them meet their working capital requirements. As on 03.12.2021, more than 14 lakh fresh KCCs have been sanctioned by the banks to Animal Husbandry and Dairy farmers.

ii. National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD):- Launched in Feb-2014 and restructured/realigned in July 2021 with two components. The Component ‘A’ of the Scheme provide grant in aid assistance on 60:40 between Centre and State basis and focuses towards creating/strengthening of infrastructure for quality milk testing equipment as well as primary chilling facilities and creation of village level milk procurements system. The Component ''B'' provides financial assistance as a loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for creation of milk processing and marketing infrastructure. The budgetary allocation under NPDD during the FY 2021-22 is Rs.255.00 crore.

iii. Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF):- Launched in December 2017 with an Objective to create/ modernize the milk processing, chilling and value addition infrastructure in the form of loan with interest subvention of 2.5% (with effect from 11.09.2020). The Scheme outlay is Rs. 11,184 crore including Rs. 8004 crore as loan with interest subvention. The budgetary allocation for interest subvention for the FY 2021-22 is Rs.70 crore.

iv. Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities (SDCFPO): Launched during 2017-18 being implemented through National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) with an objective of the scheme is to assist the Cooperative Societies and farmer producer organizations engaged in dairy activities by providing soft working capital loan to tide over the crisis on account of severely adverse market conditions or natural calamities. Due to Economic Impact of Covid-19 on Dairy Sector, a new component “interest subvention on Working capital loans for Dairy sector” was introduced with an outlay of Rs 203 Cr for 2020-21 and 2021-22. The scheme will be continued as a part of Umbrella Scheme “Infrastructure Development Fund” from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs 500 Cr. An amount of Rs.100 crore has been allocated during the FY 2021-22.

v. Rashtriya Gokul Mission : Launched in December, 2014 with the aim for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds, genetic up gradation of bovine population and enhancement of milk production and productivity and making technology accessible to farmers including IVF and sex sorted semen technology.

vi. Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF): Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (ANB) stimulus package, Hon’ble Prime Minister has announced for setting up of Rs. 15000 crore Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF). The AHIDF envisages incentivizing as interest subvention upto 3% on loan for investments by individual entrepreneurs, private companies, MSME, Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) and Section 8 companies to establish the dairy processing and value addition infrastructure and Animal/Cattle Feed plant besides other meat processing. DAHD has introduced a category of Breed Multiplication and Breed Improvement Technology under AHIDF which will assist technology intervention in Dairy processing and Breed multiplication and breed improvement technologies.