Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed the Gaupalak Sammelan in Bhopal, highlighting significant achievements and future plans for India's dairy sector under the Ministry of Cooperation. India's total milk production has increased from approximately 14.06 crore tonnes in 2014-15 to 25 crore tonnes currently, representing substantial growth over the past decade. Per capita milk availability has risen by 58%, from 307 grams per day to 485 grams per day, making India the world's largest milk-producing country.
The event featured the inauguration of several dairy infrastructure projects, including the foundation stone for a 3 lakh litres per day milk processing plant in Ujjain, to be established at a cost of ₹255 crore. A 40,000 litres per day Product Dairy Plant constructed in Bhopal at a cost of approximately ₹16.5 crore was inaugurated, along with a state-of-the-art State-level Central Laboratory built at a cost of ₹12.42 crore. Strengthening works of the Mini Dairy Plant in Shivpuri, undertaken at a cost of ₹6.5 crore, were also inaugurated digitally.
Madhya Pradesh has set an ambitious target to increase daily milk procurement from the current 12 lakh kg to 52 lakh kg. The state government has given in-principle approval for providing 50 acres of land for breed improvement programs for cattle and buffaloes, focusing on conservation of indigenous breeds and modern breeding technologies including sex-sorted semen.
Under White Revolution 2.0, the government plans to establish 75,000 new cooperative dairies across the country and strengthen 46,000 existing dairies, with Madhya Pradesh expected to derive maximum benefit from this initiative. Five technology-driven models for dung processing have been developed to create additional income sources for farmers through scientific collection, methane emission reduction, clean energy generation, and nutrient recycling.
The dairy sector's export performance was highlighted, with Indian dairy products worth approximately ₹4,666 crore being exported to countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Bhutan. The minister emphasized that dairy cooperatives serve as important vehicles for women empowerment, rural development, economic prosperity of farmers, and the fight against malnutrition, placing income directly in the hands of women.
During the event, bonuses were provided to livestock rearers associated with the Bhopal and Indore Milk Unions, financial assistance was extended to Gaushalas, dividends were distributed to members of dairy cooperative societies, and 'Gaupalak Didis' were honored. Sanction letters were also presented under the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Kamdhenu Yojana.