Bhubaneswar: In a bid to enhance milk production, the state government has set an ambitious target to provide 10,000 high-yielding breed cows to farmers under the Kamdhenu scheme, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said Saturday.
While attending the MoU signing ceremony between the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Omfed in Cuttack, Majhi said Omfed, the backbone of the white revolution in Odisha, has significantly contributed to boosting milk production and empowering dairy farmers towards self-reliance.
“Odisha government has set a target to provide 10,000 high-yielding breed cows to farmers under the Kamdhenu scheme.
The initiative will enrich the state’s dairy economy by promoting large-scale dairy farming,” he said. As part of the agreement, NDDB will supply around 4,000 high-yielding cows to dairy farmers in the state.
Additionally, NDDB will assist in setting up a cow dung-based biogas plant in Odisha in the near future. On the occasion, the CM handed over 22 milk storage tanks with capacities ranging from 2,000 to 15,000 litres to various milk unions.
He also inaugurated three milk packaging machines to strengthen the milk supply chain further. “With these facilities in place, a higher volume of milk can now be collected from farmers,” Majhi said.
The CM also inaugurated quarters for the employees of Omfed. In a related development, an agreement has also been signed between Omfed and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to supply 30 metric tonnes of ghee for the Mahaprasad and other rituals of Lord Jagannath.
Under the Kamdhenu scheme, the government is providing up to 70 per cent financial assistance to farmers to encourage dairy development.
Around 15 lakh cowherds across the state are expected to benefit from the scheme. In the financial year 2024–25 alone, three lakh beneficiaries have already received assistance amounting to Rs 71 crore.
Majhi also mentioned that the state government has implemented the Gomata Yojana for the protection, management, and healthcare of cows.
Among others, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (F&ARD) Minister Gokulananda Mallik, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, Omfed president Kishore Chandra Pradhani, Omfed MD Vijay Amrita Kulange, F&ARD department principal secretary Suresh Kumar Vashishth and NDDB Dairy Services MD CP Devanand were present on the occasion.
PNN