Explaining that higher GDP growth, increased incomes in rural areas through schemes like MGNREGA and a growing population are contributing to a rapidly growing demand for milk, National Dairy Development Board chairperson Amrita Patel said. According to NDDB’s recently released annual report for 2010-11 conveyed that India continued to be the largest milk producing nation in 2010-11.
"Increasing domestic milk production at the pace required through adoption of a scientific approach by improving the genetic potential of milch animals and feeding them a balanced diet, to ensure they produce milk commensurate with their genetic potential, is the only
way to meet the surge in demand. It is therefore imperative that a scientifically planned multi-state initiative is launched and NDDB had therefore prepared a National Dairy Plan (NDP) with a fifteen year horizon," Patel said in a media statement. she added that NDP I has been appraised by the World Bank and approval for the project is expected shortly.
NDP I has been appraised by the World Bank and approval for the project is expected by early 2012. Additional funding for activities that are commercial in nature such as plants for milk processing and manufacture of cattle feed, are being explored with the International Finance Corporation ( IFC), an affiliate of the World Bank.
NDP I is proposed to be carried out by End Implementing Agencies (EIAs) including State Cooperative Dairy Federations; District Cooperative Milk Producers Unions; Producer Companies and State Livestock development Boards that meet the criteria for each activity and in states that have agreed to put in place the necessary regulatory and policy measures to create an enabling environment for the successful implementation of the project, read NDDB statement.