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National Milk Day, celebrating India’s White Revolution
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Tuesday, 26 November, 2024, 14 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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Observed annually on November 26, National Milk Day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien, celebrated as the Father of the White Revolution in India. Born on November 26, 1921, in Kozhikode, Kerala, Dr Kurien was instrumental in transforming India from a milk deficient nation to the world's largest producer of milk. This day underscores the transformative impact of India’s dairy sector, a key contributor to nutritional security, rural empowerment, and economic growth.
Globally India is 1st in Milk production with 230.58 million ton per annum and it is 25% of world production of milk followed by USA. Several measures have been initiated by the Government to increase the productivity of livestock, which has resulted in increasing milk production significantly. Milk production during 2021-22 and 2022-23 is 222.07 million tonnes and 230.58 million tonnes respectively showing an annual growth of 3.83%. The per capita availability of milk is around 459 grams/day in 2022- 23.
Following the visit of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to Anand district of Gujarat in 1964, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was created in 1965 with a mandate to support creation of the Anand pattern of dairy cooperatives across the country through Operation Flood (OF) programme. Verghese Kurien, the first chairman of NDDB, along with his team commenced work on the launch of the project which envisaged the organization of Anand-pattern cooperatives in milksheds across the country from where liquid milk produced and procured by milk cooperatives would be transported to cities.
Operation Flood was implemented in the following phases: 1. Phase I (1970–1980) was financed by the sale of skimmed milk powder and butter oil donated by the European Union (then the European Economic Community) through the World Food Program. 2. Phase II (1981–1985) increased the milk-sheds from 18 to 136; urban markets expanded the outlets for milk to 290. By the end of 1985, a self-sustaining system of 43,000 village cooperatives with 4,250,000 milk producers were covered. 3. Phase III (1985–1996) enabled dairy cooperatives to expand and strengthen the infrastructure required to procure and market increasing volumes of milk. This phase added 30000 new dairy cooperatives which led to 73000.
The bedrock of Operation Flood has been village milk producers' cooperatives, which procure milk and provide inputs and services, making modern management and technology available to members.
Major Achievements for India
World’s largest producer of milk since 1998 and at present contributing 25 percent to the World’s total milk production • Milk Production 231 MMT in 2022-23 with value of output of Rs. 11.16 lakh crore • Provide livelihoods to 8.5 crore rural households • Total bovine population increased (from 29.96 crore in 2012 to 30.22 crore in 2019) by 0.86% whereas in-milk Bovine population Up (8.3 crore in 2014 to 10.48 crore in 2023) by 26.26%. • Under NAIP, AI services delivered free of cost at farmers doorstep in 605 districts and so far, 7.13 crore animals covered, 8.74 crores AIs performed, and 4.06 crores farmers benefitted • To promote modern reproductive technologies, 22 IVF labs established • 10 million doses of sex sorted semen produced so far ; 70 lakh doses distributed for AI • In the last 3 years 38736 MAITRIs have been inducted • During the last 3 years 3700 progeny tested bulls produced against the target of 4000 bulls over a period of 5 years • 142 Breed Multiplication Farms sanctioned against the targets of 125 farms over the period of 5 years • DAHD developed complete livestock digital ecosystem Bharat Pashudhan system. • The database Bharat Pashudhan was launched by PM on March 2, 2024. • More than 34 Crore transactions have been recorded by FLWs utilising all the functionalities.
Empowering Women Through Dairy Cooperatives
The role of women in dairying is prominent. They look after most of the dairying activities such as, fodder collection, feeding, cleaning, milking, watering, management, health care, household level processing of milk and its marketing. Dairying has always been regarded as one of the activities that could contribute to poverty alleviation and employment generation, especially in drought-prone and rain-fed areas. Compared to other sectors, gender equity is more pronounced in livestock and animal husbandry sector where women constitute about 69 per cent of the workforce.
Active participation of women in all spheres of dairy cooperative business and governance is central to dairy development in the country. Women are encouraged to take up leadership role in the management committee of Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS) and boards of the milk unions. Two milk unions, Ichhamati Cooperative Milk Union in West Bengal and Mulukanoor Women’s Mutually Aided Milk Producers Cooperative Union in Andhra Pradesh have evolved as all women cooperative dairies managed and governed by women.
Out of 22 Milk Producer Organisations (MPOs) facilitated by NDDB (through NDS), 15 have an all women membership and all the Producer Directors on their respective boards are women dairy farmers. Collectively, these MPOs have 8.7 lakh dairy farmers as producer members spread across 22,277 villages. Women represent 71 percent of these producers and 65 percent are smallholder milk producers.
Key Government Initiatives Supporting Dairy Development
The Government of India has introduced several initiatives in this sector including National Dairy Plan (NDP), Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF), Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), A-HELP (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production), Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) for Dairy Farmers etc. These initiatives are aimed at enhancing milk production, improving productivity, and uplifting rural livelihoods.
The Legacy of National Milk Day
National Milk Day is not just a celebration of Dr Kurien's vision but also an acknowledgment of India’s remarkable journey in dairy development. As the world’s largest producer, India exemplifies how a nation can achieve self-reliance, rural empowerment, and nutritional security through visionary leadership and cooperative spirit.
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