Dharamshala, Feb 5 (KNN) Government of Himachal Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to establish a cutting-edge automated milk processing plant.

The plant, located in Dhagwar, Kangra, is set to have an initial capacity of 1.5 Lakh Litres Per Day (LLPD), expandable up to 3 LLPD.

With a significant investment of Rs 225 crore in the first phase, the project aims to generate various dairy products such as curd, lassi, butter, ghee, paneer, flavoured milk, khoya, and mozzarella cheese.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu emphasised that this fully automatic facility, a flagship initiative, will not only bring prosperity to dairy farming communities but also contribute significantly to the overall growth of the state.

The plant plays a pivotal role in strengthening the rural economy by directly procuring milk from farmers in Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Una districts. Transparency in milk procurement is stressed to ensure fair compensation for farmers.

In a concerted effort aligned with the government's commitment to farmer welfare, an additional investment of Rs 43 crore has been allocated to fortify the milk procurement network. The aim is to purchase 2.74 LLPD to sustain the plant's operations.

The initiative is part of a two-phase plan, with the second phase focusing on the production of milk powder, ice cream, and various types of cheese at the Dhagwar Plant.

Sukhu affirmed the government's dedication to the welfare of the dairy farming community, announcing a significant increase of Rs 6 per litre in the milk procurement rate, raised from Rs 32 to Rs 38.

The state government is actively working towards enhancing farmers' income, with additional schemes in the pipeline.

The chief minister underscored the crucial role of strengthening the rural economy in achieving self-reliance for Himachal Pradesh.

Recognising that about 95 per cent of the state's population resides in rural areas, he emphasised that without attaining this goal, the vision of making Himachal the most progressive state remains unrealised.

(KNN Bureau)