Leh/Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday announced plans for a major expansion of the dairy sector in Ladakh and Kargil, including the setting up of a 50,000 litre-per-day milk processing plant in Leh.
The government is committed to strengthening dairy infrastructure in Ladakh and Kargil to ensure sustainable livelihood and enhance the income of dairy farmers, Shah said.
Extending Buddha Purnima greetings to the locals, the minister said that the teachings of Lord Buddha, especially the message ‘Appo Deepo Bhava’ (be your own light), continue to inspire people towards self-reliance and higher purpose.
“We are also working to further strengthen infrastructure in Ladakh as well as in Kargil. In the coming days, a new dairy plant with a processing capacity of around 50,000 litres per day will be set up in Leh at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore,” he said.
Shah, who laid the foundation of some projects and inaugurated others in the dairy sector in Ladakh, said that cattle breeding centres will also be established in Leh and Kargil at a cost of around Rs 4 crore each to provide high-yielding breeds suited to local climatic conditions.
“Around 500 improved cattle are planned to be introduced annually, with a long-term goal of nearly tripling livestock numbers in the region over the next decade,” he added.
Given the extremely cold climate and low oxygen levels in the region, research will be carried out to ensure that the livestock introduced here are well adapted, he said, adding that with the addition of new animals and their offspring over time, this initiative will expand significantly.
“Over the next ten years, there is a plan to nearly triple the livestock population, which I believe will yield very positive results,” the minister said.
Shah further said that following the integration with the National Dairy Development Board, the Ladakh Milk Federation network has expanded to 28 villages.
However, he stressed the need to extend coverage to at least 85 percent of villages where livestock rearing is viable to ensure a stable income for farmers.
He said daily milk procurement in the region has reached around 6,000 litres and called for scaling it up to 21,000 litres in the coming years. Expansion of processing capacity and tie-ups with the Indian Army, he added, will provide a stable and assured market for dairy farmers.
“Expansion of plant capacity – from 5 TLPD to 10 TLPD – and agreements with the Army will certainly be beneficial,” he said.
The Union minister urged the Ladakh administration to fully utilise the potential of every suitable village and promote cooperative-based development in allied sectors such as organic farming and honey production.
He also noted that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several initiatives have been launched in the animal husbandry sector in Ladakh.
“The foundation stone of a dairy processing plant in Kargil with a capacity of 10,000 litres per day has been laid, aimed at strengthening local dairy infrastructure even in high-altitude areas,” he said.
Congratulating the women of Kargil, Shah said the initiative would help them become self-reliant and improve their livelihoods. He said the new project, being set up at a cost of Rs 25 crore, is expected to significantly benefit local families.
He added that the existing milk union has already begun producing around 500 kg of paneer and 1,000 kg of curd daily, and with modernisation, production will become more efficient.
Highlighting demand, Shah said forces such as the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), with around 18,000 personnel deployed in the region, will serve as major consumers of dairy products.
He also announced the launch of mobile milk testing facilities to improve quality control and a technology-driven digital Automated Milk Collection System (AMCS) to ensure transparency and efficiency in procurement operations.
He praised the role of the local women in the initiative.
