Controversy Surrounds NDDB Takeover of Mahanand Dairy in Maharashtra
Source: The DairyNews
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is poised to take control of Mahanand Dairy in Maharashtra, triggering opposition and protests from employees and political parties who view it as Gujarat encroaching on Maharashtra's projects.
The dairy's board of directors has approved the handover to NDDB, proposing a voluntary retirement scheme for employees. While the Maharashtra government denies claims of the dairy being shifted to Gujarat, protests intensify.
Mahanand Dairy, managed by the Maharashtra Rajya Sahakari Dudh Mahasangh Maryadit (MRSDMM), has been a focal point of the Operation Flood program in the state. However, with declining milk collection and financial losses, the board passed a resolution on December 28 to transfer control to NDDB, seeking ₹130 crore for a voluntary retirement scheme.
The move has sparked protests from the dairy's 940 employees, as NDDB can only absorb 350, leaving the fate of 590 uncertain. Opposition parties criticize the decision, labeling it as Gujarat appropriating Maharashtra's projects and a matter of regional pride. The Maharashtra government emphasizes that NDDB will only take over management, refuting allegations of physical relocation to Gujarat.
Dairy development minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil defends the decision, attributing Mahanand's decline to mismanagement and stating that NDDB's intervention aims to restore profitability without relocating the dairy. The controversy intensifies as political figures express concerns over the loss of Maharashtra's identity and projects to Gujarat.
Mahanand Dairy, managed by the Maharashtra Rajya Sahakari Dudh Mahasangh Maryadit (MRSDMM), has been a focal point of the Operation Flood program in the state. However, with declining milk collection and financial losses, the board passed a resolution on December 28 to transfer control to NDDB, seeking ₹130 crore for a voluntary retirement scheme.
The move has sparked protests from the dairy's 940 employees, as NDDB can only absorb 350, leaving the fate of 590 uncertain. Opposition parties criticize the decision, labeling it as Gujarat appropriating Maharashtra's projects and a matter of regional pride. The Maharashtra government emphasizes that NDDB will only take over management, refuting allegations of physical relocation to Gujarat.
Dairy development minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil defends the decision, attributing Mahanand's decline to mismanagement and stating that NDDB's intervention aims to restore profitability without relocating the dairy. The controversy intensifies as political figures express concerns over the loss of Maharashtra's identity and projects to Gujarat.
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