E-Paper
Modi unveils projects worth ₹1k cr in Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone of multiple projects worth more than ₹1,000 crore at Sabar Dairy in Sabarkantha district of poll-bound Gujarat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone of multiple projects worth more than ₹1,000 crore at Sabar Dairy in Sabarkantha district of poll-bound Gujarat.
The dairy is a part of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which makes and markets a whole range of dairy products under the Amul brand.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that measures like increasing ethanol blending in petrol are creating new avenues for the farmers.
“Until 2014, less than 40 crore litres of ethanol used to be blended in the country. Today, it has reached around 400 crore litres. Our government has also provided Kisan credit cards to more than three crore farmers by running a special campaign in the last two years,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister further said that the projects unveiled on Thursday would empower local farmers and milk producers and increase their income, boosting the rural economy in the region.
“Today, Sabar Dairy has expanded. New projects worth hundreds of crores are being set up here. Sabar Dairy capacity will increase further with the addition of a milk powder plant with modern technology and one more line in the aseptic packing section.”
The Prime Minister recalled the situation of deprivation and drought two decades ago. He recalled how he, as the chief minister of Gujarat, enlisted the people’s cooperation and tried to improve the situation in the region.
He said cattle rearing and dairy was the key element of these efforts. He also talked about steps for promoting animal husbandry by providing fodder and medicine and also promoting Ayurvedic treatment for cattle. He mentioned the Gujarat Jyotigram Scheme for providing round-the-clock electricity in all villages as a catalyst for development.
“The work of formation of 10,000 Farmer Producer Associations (FPOs) is going on in full swing in the country. Through these FPOs, small farmers will be able to directly connect with the food processing, value-linked export and supply chain. The farmers of Gujarat are also going to benefit a lot from it,” he said.
He said that due to efforts of the past two decades the dairy market in Gujarat reached ₹1 lakh crore. He recalled his visits in 2007 and 2011 and his request to increase the participation of women. Now, most of the committees have a good representation of women. Payment for milk is mostly done to women, he said.
He said that the strategy of creating alternative income streams for farmers is bearing fruit.
Horticulture, fishery, and honey production are giving good income to the farmers, while Khadi and Gramodyog turnover has gone over ₹1 lakh crore for the first time, he said. More than 15 million new jobs were created in this sector in villages, he added.
The Prime Minister said that steps like neem-coating of urea, the revival of fertiliser plants that were shut down, and promoting nano fertilisers and ensuring urea availability at affordable prices despite global price hikes have benefited the farmers of the country and Gujarat.
Sujlam Suflam Scheme has made water available to many tehsils of the Sabarkantha district. Similarly, connectivity has increased at an unprecedented scale in the district and nearby areas. Railway and highway projects have improved connectivity in the region. This connectivity is helping tourism and ensuring jobs for the youth, Modi said.
Among the projects inaugurated on Thursday include the powder plant at Sabar Dairy, with a capacity of around 120 metric tonnes per day (MTPD). The total cost of the entire project is more than ₹300 crore.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the aseptic milk packaging plant at Sabar Dairy, with a production capacity of 3 lakh litres per day. The project has been executed with a total investment of around ₹125 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of the Sabar cheese & whey drying plant project at an estimated outlay of ₹600 crores.
Modi also felicitated beneficiaries of the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme and top women milk producers of the state. Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel was present at the occasion.
