The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is expanding dairy-based industries in rural India through several schemes. These initiatives aim to improve milk production, enhance infrastructure, and stabilize milk prices, benefiting millions of dairy farmers across the country.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, is actively working to bolster the dairy industry in rural areas through various schemes. These initiatives are designed to support dairy cooperatives, farmer producer organizations, and individual entrepreneurs, aiming to enhance milk production, improve infrastructure, and stabilize milk prices. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, recently detailed these efforts in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Key Schemes and Their Objectives
The DAHD has implemented several schemes to support and develop dairy-based industries. These schemes are tailored to various stakeholders, including dairy cooperatives, self-help groups, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and private companies. The primary schemes are:
- National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)
- Focuses on enhancing milk production and dairy infrastructure.
- Supports dairy cooperatives and farmer producer organisations (FPOs).
- Supporting Dairy Cooperatives & Farmer Producer Organizations (SDCFPO)
- Aims to strengthen the capacity and operations of dairy cooperatives and FPOs.
- Provides financial assistance and technical support.
- Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF)
- Replaces the Dairy Processing Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) as of February 1, 2024.
- Provides funding for the development of infrastructure related to animal husbandry, including dairy processing facilities.
Beneficiaries and Impact
The schemes target a broad range of beneficiaries, including:
- Dairy Cooperatives
- Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)
- Self Help Groups (SHGs)
- MSMEs
- Private Companies
- Individual Entrepreneurs
These initiatives benefit over 90 million dairy farmers by enhancing milk production and productivity, improving infrastructure, and increasing feed and fodder availability. The interventions aim to lower milk production costs, stabilize milk prices, and boost farmers’ income.
State-wise Distribution of Projects and Beneficiaries
The following table outlines the number of projects and beneficiaries across different states and union territories under various DAHD schemes:
Number of beneficiaries covered under SDCFPO pertains to FY 2023-24.
| State/UT | NPDD | AHIDF | DIDF* | SDCFPO# |
| Andhra Pradesh | 4 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 2 | |||
| Assam | 2 | |||
| Bihar | 17 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Chhattisgarh | 3 | |||
| Goa | 2 | 1 | ||
| Gujarat | 8 | 10 | 5 | |
| Haryana | 4 | 13 | 4 | |
| Himachal Pradesh | 6 | 2 | ||
| Jammu & Kashmir | 4 | |||
| Jharkhand | 3 | 4 | ||
| Karnataka | 16 | 6 | 10 | |
| Kerala | 14 | 3 | 1 | |
| Madhya Pradesh | 13 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| Maharashtra | 4 | 32 | 2 | |
| Manipur | 3 | |||
| Meghalaya | 6 | |||
| Mizoram | 3 | |||
| Nagaland | 4 | |||
| Odisha | 7 | 2 | ||
| Puducherry | 4 | |||
| Punjab | 9 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Rajasthan | 28 | 5 | 11 | 1 |
| Sikkim | 6 | |||
| Tamil Nadu | 9 | 9 | 4 | |
| Telangana | 8 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| Tripura | 3 | |||
| Uttar Pradesh | 7 | 7 | 17 | |
| Uttarakhand | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
| West Bengal | 3 | 10 | ||
| Total | 206 | 22 | 157 | 37 |
*DIDF (Dairy Processing Infrastructure Development Fund) has been subsumed with AHIDF as of February 1, 2024.
The DAD’s initiatives play a crucial role in expanding dairy-based industries in rural areas, providing significant support to dairy farmers and related stakeholders. By enhancing milk production, improving infrastructure, and stabilizing milk prices, these schemes contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of the dairy sector in India. The detailed distribution of projects and beneficiaries highlights the extensive reach and impact of these programs across various states and union territories.
