The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) had launched the “National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)” scheme in February 2014. The scheme has undergone a comprehensive restructure and realignment in July 2021 to drive its implementation from 2021-22 to 2025-26. This strategic overhaul entails two pivotal components that collectively aim to transform the dairy landscape.
Component ‘A’: Under this arm of NPDD, the focus is on fostering and reinforcing infrastructure, particularly in terms of quality milk testing equipment and primary chilling facilities. These enhancements cater to entities like State Cooperative Dairy Federations, District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Unions, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Milk Producer Companies, and Farmer Producer Organizations, facilitating streamlined operations and ensuring higher milk quality standards.
Component ‘B’: The NPDD scheme’s second facet, aptly named “Dairying through Cooperatives,” is designed to elevate milk and dairy product sales. It strives to achieve this through augmenting farmers’ access to organized markets, elevating dairy processing facilities and marketing infrastructure, and enhancing the operational capacity of producer-owned institutions.
Noteworthy is the scheme’s demand-driven nature, which emphasizes an adaptable and responsive approach. Unlike in the past, no state-wise allocations were made over the previous three years.
According to the 20th Livestock Census (2019), a staggering 80.83 million farming households are actively engaged in dairy farming activities, involving cattle or buffalo rearing. For a significant portion of these households, dairy farming contributes to their daily income, underscoring its pivotal role in rural economies.
In tandem with the infrastructure enhancements, NPDD offers crucial training to farmers. Component A emphasizes imparting knowledge about good hygienic practices and good manufacturing practices. Component B, on the other hand, equips farmers with skills in clean milk production, hygienic practices, milch animal rearing, and the adoption of essential elements like cattle feed, green fodder, and mineral mixtures.
