Jammu & Kashmir Launches ₹1,433 Crore Dairy Initiative

The Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, chaired a review meeting focused on the Jammu & Kashmir Dairy Processing Infrastructure Development Scheme (JKDPIDS), a ₹1,433 crore initiative poised to transform the region's dairy sector. This endeavor aims to enhance the industry's global competitiveness and organization.

Discussing the scheme's potential, Chief Minister Abdullah underscored the need to expand organized milk processing from the current 4% to at least 20% over the next seven years. This expansion is expected to secure better pricing and market access for more than 5 lakh dairy farmers.

The plan, managed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), includes the creation of 10 automated milk processing plants across 18 districts, increased milk collection capacity, and the establishment of 100 testing laboratories. Furthermore, it envisages the formation of 10,000 farmer-owned dairy collectives.

Deputy Commissioners have been tasked to allocate around 40–50 kanals of land for the new processing plants, with Chief Minister Abdullah emphasizing the need for inter-departmental coordination to ensure essential infrastructure, such as road connectivity and utilities, is in place in a timely manner.

Efforts also include agreements on sexed semen production and fodder development to boost productivity, alongside instructions for the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to facilitate funding efficiently, with rigorous financial oversight.

The scheme's projected outcomes include a substantial increase in cooperative turnover, job creation, and the supply of hygienic, export-ready milk—representing a significant economic transformation for rural Jammu & Kashmir.