PM Modi launches Rs 947-crore dairy projects to boost rural livelihoods

India's livestock and dairy sector received a major boost on Saturday, October 11, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating projects worth Rs 947 crore and laying the foundation for another valued at Rs 219 crore, according to an official statement, reported by PIB. The initiatives aim to strengthen rural livelihoods, improve productivity and support India's broader vision of self-reliance in the agriculture and allied sectors.

Strengthening the rural economy

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The new projects were launched as part of a larger package of agricultural and allied sector initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses. These schemes are intended to diversify income sources for farmers, improve agricultural resilience and strengthen rural livelihoods. Addressing the event, Prime Minister Modi underlined the importance of livestock, fisheries and allied activities in the growth of rural India. He said the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana would also focus on animal welfare, noting that more than 125 crore vaccines had been administered free of cost to protect livestock from diseases such as foot and mouth disease. "Due to this, animals have become healthy and the worries of the farmers have reduced," the Prime Minister said. He added that local-level animal health campaigns would be launched to improve veterinary access and awareness among farmers.

Diversifying farm income

Emphasising diversification as a key to rural prosperity, the Prime Minister said the government is offering farmers new opportunities beyond traditional agriculture. "Where farming isn't possible, animal husbandry and fisheries will need to be promoted. To increase the income of farmers, our government is giving them options beyond traditional farming. Therefore, emphasis is being laid on animal husbandry, fish farming and beekeeping for additional income. This also empowers small farmers and landless families," he said. Officials said such initiatives are expected to strengthen integration between crop and livestock systems, build resilience against climate stress and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Among the major projects inaugurated was the first IVF laboratory in the North-East, set up in Guwahati, Assam under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission at a cost of Rs 28.93 crore. The facility is expected to drive breed improvement and dairy development across the region. Several large-scale dairy infrastructure projects were also launched under the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD).

These include the Mehsana Milk Union project featuring a 120 metric tonnes per day milk powder plant and a 3.5 lakh litres per day UHT plant developed at a cost of Rs 460 crore; a 30 tonnes per day milk powder plant built by the Indore Milk Union at a cost of Rs 76.5 crore; a 25,000 litres per day UHT plant established by the Bhilwara Milk Union at Rs 46.82 crore; and a Greenfield Dairy Plant developed at Nustulapur, Karimnagar in Telangana at Rs 25.45 crore.

In addition, the foundation stone was laid for an Integrated Dairy Plant and a 200 TPD Cattle Feed Plant at Kuppam Mandal in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, with a total investment of Rs 219 crore under the NPDD.

Expanding infrastructure and human capacity

Under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), 10 projects worth Rs 303.81 crore were inaugurated across multiple states to boost feed production, milk processing and animal product manufacturing capacity. To improve last-mile service delivery, 2,000 newly trained MAITRIs (Multipurpose Artificial Insemination Technicians in Rural India) from all districts of Uttar Pradesh received certificates from the Prime Minister under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission. The event also marked the induction of over 38,000 MAITRIs nationwide, representing a milestone in expanding artificial insemination coverage and promoting genetic upgradation of livestock.