Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday launched the ‘Doodh Protsahan Yojana’, aimed at strengthening the rural economy by encouraging livestock rearing and enhancing the livelihoods of farming families
He also announced the freight subsidy scheme for the farmers at a function held at Arki in Solan district.
The Chief Minister, on the occasion, distributed Rs 1.45 crore via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 8,000 livestock farmers associated with two private milk cooperatives- Gau Amrit Samiti, Paplota Samiti and Amrit Dhara Samiti, Darlaghat of Solan district and Kamdhenu Samiti and Kehlur Doosh Samiti of Bilaspur district for July and August.
Additionally, these milk cooperatives were provided Rs 1.59 crore as transport subsidy at Rs 3 per litre, which was Rs 1.50 per litre earlier. The state government has increased the transport subsidy to Rs three per litre.
Through these initiatives, farmers are expected to gain a financial benefit of Rs. 18.24 crore per year, he said.
The Chief Minister also distributed Rs 28.80 lakh to eight self-help groups of Arki Assembly constituency under the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana and Rs 34.20 lakh to 10 progressive milk producers of Kamdhenu Hitkari Manch, Namhol. He launched a mobile app for the convenience of truck operators.
Addressing the function, he said that the state government was making special efforts to strengthen the rural economy and Himachal Pradesh was the first state in the country where cow milk was being purchased at a rate of Rs 51 per litre, while buffalo milk at Rs 61 per litre through the Himachal Pradesh Milk Federation.