Amit Shah inaugurated Madhur Dairy's new milk processing plant in Gandhinagar. The Rs 128-crore plant will process 2.5 lakh litres daily, with 75% of profits going to farmers, boosting their income and empowering women livestock farmers.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated the newly built milk processing plant of Madhur Dairy at Dashela in Gandhinagar. Speaking on the occasion, Shah stated that the fully automatic milk processing plant, built on 15 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 128 crores, would become a key driver of economic progress for livestock farmers.
According to the release, the plant will process 2.5 lakh litres of milk daily, with plans to increase the capacity to 5 lakh litres in the future. He added that nearly 75 per cent of the profit remaining after operational expenses would be directly transferred to the bank accounts of livestock farmers.
Dairy Sector as an Instrument of Women's Empowerment
Describing the dairy sector as an important instrument of women's empowerment, Shah said that Gujarat currently collects nearly 3 crore litres of milk every day through 3.6 million women livestock farmers, resulting in around Rs. 200 crores being deposited daily into their bank accounts. Sharing his personal experience, he said women who were once financially dependent have now become the "heads of their households" because of the dairy sector.
Vision for the Future: Circular Economy and White Revolution 2.0
The Union Minister further announced that the government has set a target of increasing livestock farmers' income by at least 20 per cent by promoting a "circular economy" model in the dairy sector. Citing the growing trust among consumers in Amul products, he said Amul's sugar-free chocolate ranks first in the country in the sugar-free chocolate category, directly benefiting farmers.
Speaking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, Shah said that under White Revolution 2.0, the target has been set to triple India's milk production over the next decade. He added that Amul has enhanced farmers' profits through the use of technology. He also referred to the AI-powered digital assistant "Saralaben," recently launched by the Prime Minister, which is helping women in rural areas with animal husbandry and farming activities.
On the occasion, Amit Shah praised the progress of Madhur Dairy and said it has carried forward the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Tribhuvandas Patel and Verghese Kurien. He noted that Madhur Dairy began its journey in 1971 with just four cooperative societies and 6,000 litres of milk collection, and today it has reached an annual turnover of Rs. 268 crores.
CM Bhupendra Patel Highlights Gujarat's Cooperative Spirit
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that Gujarat's land has been enriched with the spirit of cooperation for centuries. He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has adopted the path of "Prosperity through Cooperation" with a vision that allows the cooperative sector to move in step with changing times.
He further added that the Prime Minister has created a new history of development-oriented politics while always keeping the nation's prosperity through collective cooperation at the core, earning immense trust and confidence from the people.
Recalling the historical journey of Madhur Dairy, the Chief Minister said that more than five decades ago, the union had started with just three to four milk producers' cooperative societies, and today every morning in Gandhinagar begins with a cup of tea made from Madhur brand milk.
Unique Consumer Cooperative Model
Highlighting another unique feature of Madhur Dairy and the Gandhinagar District Milk Producers' Union, he said that a consumers' cooperative society has been functioning in Gandhinagar for the last 50 years. With 15,000 members, the society distributes Madhur Dairy milk through 230 distribution centres.
The Chief Minister described the event as a celebration of the transformation from White Revolution to the Development Revolution for Gandhinagar under the guidance of Amit Shah, and congratulated the Madhur Dairy family for adding a new milestone to its growth story.
CM Congratulates Shah on West Bengal Election Victory
During the event, Bhupendra Patel also congratulated Amit Shah from the stage for the BJP's victory in the West Bengal elections. He said the people of West Bengal had shown overwhelming support for the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
The Chief Minister also praised Shah for demonstrating through the West Bengal election results how organisational strength, cadre-based politics and public trust can together achieve electoral success.
Welcome Address by Madhur Dairy Chairman
On the occasion, Madhur Dairy Chairman Shankarsinh Rana delivered the welcome address and gave an overview of Madhur Dairy's activities. (ANI)
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