NDDB TO STRENGTHEN DAIRY FARMING IN BIHAR

Patna, 14 October 2014: The National Dairy Development Board’s scientifically planned National Dairy Plan I (NDP I) would boost dairy farming in Bihar. As on date, under NDP I, the total outlay for Bihar is Rs 10.86 crore. The focussed approach would emphasise on Ration Balancing Programme (RBP) and Fodder Development.

Till September 2014, 7 sub projects from 6 End Implementing Agencies (EIAs) have been approved under NDP I. It includes 4 Ration Balancing sub projects and 3 Fodder Development sub projects. Another 3 sub projects have been submitted by the potential EIAs.

Shri T Nanda Kumar, Chairman, NDDB was on a two-day visit to Patna and Samastipur during 13-14 October, 2014 to review the progress of NDP projects in Bihar. Chairman NDDB said that all programmes of NDDB are aimed at improving productivity, profitability, sustainability, thereby improving livelihoods of smallholder dairy farmers.

He said, “If we are to collectively address the challenges of increasing productivity to meet rapidly growing demand for nutrition, a carefully thought out science based, sustainable and locally relevant approach to breeding, feeding and animal health care is necessary for sustained increase in milk production”.

Shri Nanda Kumar emphasised that dairy animals in India are largely fed on agricultural by-products and crop residues and are cared for mainly by women. From gender perspective, the cooperatives provide economic and social empowerment to large numbers of poor women in our villages.

Ranked 9th in the country, Bihar’s estimated milk production is 7.2 million tonnes in 2013-14, which is 5.2 % of the national milk production. The cooperative dairies procured 15 lakh Kg per day in 2013-14. In terms of membership, the state has about 9 lakh producer members pouring milk to around 15 thousand dairy cooperative societies.

As per the 19th Livestock Census (2012), Bihar has 198 lakh bovines (female -157 lakh & male - 41 Lakh). The state has 6.41% and 6.96% of our country’s total cattle and buffalo population respectively.