Govt to boost dairy sector in Bihar, says Nitish

Patna: CM Nitish Kumar said on Saturday that milk producers’ committees (MPCs) would be constituted in the remaining 14,480 villages over the next two years as the state govt has decided to give a fresh push to the dairy sector to increase the income of milch-cattle owners and farmers who take up milk production as an additional economic activity.He also announced that Sudha milk outlets would be opened in every block and panchayat, with the outlets at the panchayat level to be run and managed by Jeevika Didis associated with self-help groups (SHGs) under the Mahila Rojgar Yojana.The renewed focus on the dairy sector is part of the govt’s Saat Nishchay-3 programme, which also aims to create jobs and work opportunities for one crore youths over the next five years.

The dairy and fishery wings together form allied activities of the agriculture sector.Elaborating on the initiative through his social media platform on Saturday, the CM said, “Under the component ‘Krishi Mein Pragati – Pradesh Mein Samriddhi’ of the Saat Nishchay-3 programme, a decision has been taken to set up MPC in every village to promote the dairy sector, so that the cattle owners get proper price for the milk they produce.”

He said the state has 39,073 revenue villages, of which 25,593 are already covered by MPCs. “I have issued the directive to the animal and fishery resources department to set up MPCs in the remaining 14,480 villages over the next two years. This will increase the income of the farmers, and the availability of milk will also increase,” the CM said.While Sudha milk outlets have been opened in all 534 blocks, the govt has now decided to extend the initiative to every panchayat.

Of the 8,053 panchayats in the state, work has begun in 100, and the remaining 7,953 panchayats are planned to be covered in the 2026-27 financial year.“The instruction has also been issued to allot the panchayat-level Sudha milk outlets to the Jeevika Didis on a priority basis under the Mahila Rojgar Yojana. It will promote women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas,” the CM said, adding that expansion of the dairy sector would generate work opportunities within villages.