Jammu: The Army on Tuesday dedicated a state-of-the-art milk factory to inhabitants of a remote border village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, a defence spokesman said.
The initiative executed under operation ‘Sadbhavana’ (goodwill) at village Pukharni underlines the Army’s commitment towards empowering the inhabitants towards self-dependence and socio-economic development, the spokesman said in a statement here.
He said the milk factory, inaugurated by local women, is a concrete step towards harnessing the potential of resident dairy farmers and providing a local avenue for the regions’ dairy farmers to sell their milk produce thus reducing their dependence on Naushera and Rajouri towns.
“Women empowerment is one of the noteworthy aspects of establishment of Pukharni milk factory wherein this establishment will provide jobs to over 20 local women.
“Besides serving as a powerful tool for social transformation, with actively involving women in the dairy production chain, the Army aims to enhance their economic independence and social standing giving way for a more inclusive and progressive society,” the spokesman said.
He said the focus of the project is not just economic development but also engaging Gujjar and Bakarwal communities of the region where the Indian Army has collaborated with Gujjar community to comprehend the intricacies of dairy farming in the challenging terrain of Pukharni.
