The Sivasagar district administration has taken an ambitious initiative to empower the milk production sector of the district and put it in fast track.
Apart from making the district self-sufficient in milk requirement, the district administration is also endeavouring for export of milk to other parts of the State.
The Sivasagar district administration has embarked on mitigating the problems faced by the milk producers of the district apart from elevating the standard and quality of milk production under its mission Soulful Sivasagar.
This was proclaimed by Sivasagar deputy commissioner Dr M S Lakshmi Priya at a meeting held at the Sukafa Hall recently.
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The deputy commissioner also said produced milk would be procured from the producers and compiled at a cooperative firm to packet the same through hygienic method for retail selling.
The deputy commissioner also said, the milk development department will provide with cold storage facility.
Moreover, the centre will also make arrangements for production and sale of other milk products like curd, lassi and other milk-produced sweets.
The deputy commissioner also said special care would be taken to maintain the standard of the milk and milk products for the health and hygiene of the consumers.
The products will bear a brand name ‘Lakhimi’.
To efficiently coordinate the whole affair, a milk cooperative society would be formed soon in the district, it was informed.
Preliminary works in this regard have already been started.
Speaking at the meeting chaired by deputy commissioner Dr M S Lakshmi Priya, the director of dairy development department of the Assam Government, Utpal Sarma have an overview of diary production in the district.
He assured all possible help from his department apart from assuring all incentives for the dairy farmers.
Speaking on the occasion, district veterinary officer Dr Akshayvat Keshari assured that the incentives for the diary farmers would be made available with all subsidy and facilities possible.
Notably, the meeting was attended by dairy cooperative societies and branch managers of leading banks of the district providing incentives and facilities to the dairy farmers.
The meeting also discussed at length problems and shortcomings of the dairy farmers and measures to mitigate those.
The meeting also decided to form a committee to oversee the entire procedure with the deputy commissioner as the chairperson and the district veterinary officer as the secretary.
Apart from this to look into the formation and smooth functioning of a dairy cooperative society, Dr Jagdish Barman, veterinarian from Nazira who have been involved in the process since long was entrusted with the responsibility.
The meeting also decided to revive with immediate effect the Sundarpukhuri Diary cooperative society and Dikhowmukh dairy project to make dairy products available under the project ‘Lakhimi’.
The meeting also unanimously decided to supply milk and other diary products packaged under hygienic conditions and at reasonable and right prices.
The stakeholders have exuded confidence that the initiative taken by the deputy commissioner will not only ensure proper and hygienic dairy products for the denizens of Sivasagar, but will also benefit the dairy farmers of the district.