CCEA Approves Fund to boost Dairy Sector

New Delhi Sept 13: The union cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken some crucial decisions. The Government has approved the setting up of Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) to boost the dairy sector.

* The total fund allocated is Rs10,881 crore.

* The fund will be utilized between 2017-18 to 2028-29.

* The new fund would be managed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

* National Dairy Development Cooperation (NCDC) will provide loan for building an efficient milk procurement system and other processing infrastructure.

Briefing the decision Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that this was a budget announcement. He has also said that "It will benefit improving milk cooperatives and also farmers"

* The loan under the DIDF will be given to 39 profit-making milk unions of 12 states.

* Milk unions, state dairy federations, multi-state milk cooperatives, milk producer companies and NDDB subsidiaries can avail of the loan after meeting the eligibility criteria.

* Loan will be provided for putting in place an efficient milk procurement system by setting up

* Chilling infrastructure
* Installation of electronic milk adulteration testing equipment

* Creation, Modernisation, and expansion of processing infrastructure and manufacturing faculties for value-added products.

* The scheme will benefit 95 lakh farmers

* Create additional milk processing capacity of 124 lakh liters per day.

* Value added products of manufacturing capacity of 59.78 lakh liter per day.

* Direct and indirect jobs to 2.4 lakh people would be created.