Uttar Pradesh's Dairy Scheme Promotes Smallholder Farming and Indigenous Breeds

The Uttar Pradesh government has launched the 'Mini Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana' as part of its Nand Baba Milk Mission to bolster smallholder commercial dairy farming. This scheme provides a 50% capital subsidy up to ₹11.80 lakh for establishing 10-cow dairy units, aimed at transforming traditional dairy practices into profitable ventures.

Under this scheme, the total capital required for setting up a modern dairy unit is fixed at ₹23.60 lakh, with the government covering half of this cost through a direct benefit transfer system. The remaining funds are sourced from personal contributions (15%) and commercial bank loans (35%).

The scheme emphasizes the use of elite indigenous cattle breeds, mandating the rearing of purebred Sahiwal, Gir, Tharparkar, and Gangatiri cattle. All cattle must be purchased from native breeding areas and be in their first or second lactation cycles, with mandatory ear-tagging and insurance to mitigate biosecurity risks.

To promote gender equity and empower women, 50% of the scheme's allocations are reserved for female beneficiaries. Applicants must have at least three years of certified cow or buffalo rearing experience and access to 0.20 acres for dairy infrastructure and 0.80 acres for fodder cultivation.

The Mini Nandini scheme is a key component of Uttar Pradesh’s 'Operation-4' dairy master plan, which aims to integrate livestock conservation with advanced supply chain management. According to Mukesh Meshram, Additional Chief Secretary of Animal Husbandry, the initiative is already expanding the organized milk procurement network, creating jobs in related sectors like cattle feed manufacturing and logistics.