Emulating the concept of Amul, Uttarakhand is all set to bring in a 'white revolution' through a new 10-point programme prepared by Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, the concept paper of which has already been submitted to Chief Minister B C Khanduri for its implementation.
"In the period of slowdown, we want to focus on the white revolution concept in our state," the minister told Business Standard.
The first target of the government is to add 200 dairies with an addition of 40,000 litres of milk in order to make the hill state surplus. With this, the total production milk in the state will reach 1.8 lakh litres.
Under the programme, the government has tied up with Bank of Baroda to provide easy loans for buying cows and buffaloes and set up dairies.
Once these dairies are set up, the government will start buying milk and produce various dairy products through value-addition. Already, trials of cheddar cheese are in advance stages at Dehra Dun, the headquarters of the Uttarakhand Milk Federation.
Other products like lassi and yogurt under the brand name of 'Anchal' have already hit the market.
On the 10th of every month, the government will hold a special 'Milk Production Day' in the state for providing loan facilities to people in four districts - Dehra Dun, Haridwar, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar, where the programme would be implemented. "We want to bring cows and buffaloes of good breed so that we can make good quality products," said Rawat.