New Delhi/Gandhinagar, May 17: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated a state-of-the-art automated milk processing and packaging plant of Madhur Dairy at Dashela in Gujarat, describing it as a major step towards strengthening the cooperative movement and boosting rural prosperity under the vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi.”
As per news agency JKNS, in line with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build a prosperous and self-reliant India through the mantra of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi,” and under the leadership of Hon’ble Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, the Ministry of Cooperation is continuously working to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem across the country through modern infrastructure, technology-enabled systems, and farmer-centric initiatives. In this direction, Hon’ble Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah today inaugurated the state-of-the-art automated milk processing and packaging plant of Madhur Dairy Unit-2 at Dashela in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendrabhai Patel, Gujarat Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Addressing the public gathering, Amit Shah said that the modern dairy plant established at Dashela is not merely an industrial project, but a significant step towards the economic empowerment of lakhs of milk-producing families, especially rural mothers and sisters. He said that the plant, built over 15 acres at a cost of around ₹128 crore, currently has the capacity to process 2.5 lakh litres of milk per day, which will be expanded to 5 lakh litres per day in the future.
Amit Shah stated that a major share of the profits generated from this project will directly reach the bank accounts of milk producers, thereby strengthening the rural economy. He said that the dairy cooperative model has transformed the social and economic status of women in villages. Earlier, women were confined largely to household responsibilities, but today they have emerged as key contributors to their families’ economic strength through dairy activities.
He further said that carrying forward the cooperative legacy established by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Tribhuvandas Patel, Dr. Verghese Kurien, and several other cooperative pioneers, Madhur Dairy has today emerged as a strong and trusted dairy institution. Beginning its journey in 1971 with milk collection of merely 6,000 litres and a turnover of ₹7,000, Madhur Dairy has now grown into an institution with an annual turnover of ₹628 crore and a large-scale network for milk collection, processing, and distribution. He described this achievement as a living example of the success of the cooperative model.
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has embarked upon “White Revolution 2.0,” which aims to triple India’s milk production over the next decade. He stated that Gujarat’s leading dairies, including Amul, Banas Dairy, and Mehsana Dairy, have adopted world-class technologies to enhance the income of livestock farmers, and through the cooperative framework, these benefits are reaching milk producers directly.
Amit Shah said that cooperative dairies across the country, including Amul, are doing outstanding work in the field of protein shakes, probiotic curd, high-protein beverages, and other value-added nutritional products. He noted that the greatest strength of the cooperative system lies in ensuring that the actual benefits of these successful products reach farmers and livestock rearers.
He further informed that nearly 36 lakh women are currently associated with milk production of around 3 crore litres per day, and approximately ₹200 crore is being transferred directly into their bank accounts every day through the cooperative dairy network. He said that this is not merely an economic activity, but a large-scale movement of women empowerment and self-reliance in rural India.
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister also said that Amul’s AI Digital Assistant was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister during the AI Summit. Named “Sarlaben,” this digital platform will play an important role in providing technological support to rural women and livestock farmers. He said that the initiative aims to make technology simple and accessible for villages and ordinary livestock rearers.
Amit Shah said that in the coming years, the adoption of circular economy principles in the dairy sector is expected to increase dairy incomes by at least 20 percent. He stated that the Government of India remains committed to taking the cooperative dairy sector to new heights through modern technology, innovation, and value addition.
During the programme, women milk producers associated with dairy cooperative societies presented a Madhur Dairy product kit to the Hon’ble Union Home and Cooperation Minister. Amit Shah also distributed certificates to representatives of milk producer societies.
The inauguration of Madhur Dairy Unit-2 is expected to further accelerate cooperative-led rural development, create better livelihood opportunities for dairy farmers, and strengthen India’s dairy value chain through modern and sustainable cooperative models. (JKNS)
