Amit Shah launches ‘White Revolution 2.0’ focusing on revitalising dairy sector and empower women farmers
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Amit Shah unveiled a landmark initiative on Thursday, ‘White Revolution 2.0,’ focusing on revitalising India’s dairy cooperative sector. This, further designed to enhance dairy production, generate employment, and uplift women farmers, is part of the Modi government’s broader agenda for development in its third term.
The initiative zeroes in on four primary goals: empowering women farmers, expanding milk production, modernising dairy infrastructure, and increasing dairy exports. Shah highlighted that women form the backbone of India’s dairy sector, with many managing businesses worth billions of rupees in states like Gujarat. “Through this initiative, we aim not only to empower women but also to address malnutrition by bolstering milk production,” Shah said during his speech at the launch event.
First, as part of the initiative, the government has introduced the RuPay Kisan Credit Cards for dairy farmers, a move aimed at providing easier access to financial resources. Additionally, micro-ATMs will be installed at dairy cooperative societies to modernise financial transactions at the grassroots level. The event also marked the release of standard operating procedures for computerising nearly 68,000 Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), a key step towards streamlining operations across the country’s cooperative infrastructure.
A major objective of the White Revolution 2.0 is to boost milk procurement by 50 per cent over the next five years. This will involve establishing and strengthening up to 1,00,000 new and existing cooperative societies, including district and multi-purpose PACS, which will be integrated into existing milk routes. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will play a pivotal role, initially providing Rs 40,000 to 1,000 Multi-Purpose PACS (M-PACS) to kickstart the initiative.
Shah also addressed concerns about funding, assuring full government support. He underscored the nationwide expansion of the ‘Cooperation among Cooperatives’ program, which will offer dairy farmers interest-free cash credit and financial tools, enhancing the sector’s efficiency and sustainability.
The initiative aims to benefit an estimated 13 crore farmers across India, driving reforms and modernisation in the dairy sector while empowering rural communities, especially women. By addressing key challenges and linking cooperative societies to enhanced milk routes and infrastructure, White Revolution 2.0 promises to pave the way for a new era of growth in India’s dairy industry.
