Dehradun: Before Diwali, the state government will make full payments of the pending dues to dairy farmers. Livestock, Dairy Development, and Fisheries Minister Saurabh Bahuguna announced this information, adding that Aanchal will also organize Diwali fairs at six locations across the state to sell its products.
In a press conference held at the Secretariat on Monday, Minister Bahuguna stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the state government is consistently working in the interest of livestock farmers. The government is providing various incentives to farmers. Bahuguna mentioned that approximately ₹12.5 crore is pending to dairy farmers from dairy cooperatives, along with ₹5.89 crore as pending dairy incentive funds. All these dues will be settled before Diwali, benefiting around 53,000 dairy farmers.
Bahuguna noted that in the past two and a half years, the government has increased milk prices by ₹8 to ₹11 per liter, compared to an average annual increase of ₹1 to ₹1.25 per liter previously. As a result, dairy farmers are now encouraged to sell milk through Aanchal. Consequently, the turnover of dairy cooperatives has risen from ₹20.94 crore to ₹43.78 crore over the past two years, while profits have increased from ₹2.71 crore to ₹7.23 crore.
The minister highlighted that the government is implementing various schemes to enhance farmers’ incomes. For this purpose, changes have been made to the Ganga Cow Scheme regarding the purchase criteria for cows or buffaloes, tailored to hilly areas. Additionally, the government has increased the subsidy on silage from 50% to 75%. Bahuguna also mentioned that in 2022, the price of straw had soared to ₹1600 per quintal, prompting the government to provide a 50% subsidy on straw.
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Bahuguna stated that to make Aanchal profitable, new products have been launched. To increase farmers’ income, the department will organize two-day Diwali fairs at different locations in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Dehradun, Haridwar, Champawat, and Chamoli on various dates before Diwali, where Aanchal products will be available for sale. The fairs will also feature departmental promotional stalls.
The minister added that the government is promoting self-employment through fisheries, poultry, and goat farming to prevent migration. He noted that on the same day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch Uttarakhand’s Badri Ghee in Gujarat, which will provide national recognition to Badri Ghee. He mentioned that, with the support of the central government, an aqua park is also being constructed in Sitarganj, which will benefit the state’s fish farmers. Departmental Secretary Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam announced that all these initiatives will be implemented immediately in all districts except Rudraprayag.
