Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today inaugurated the modern Take Home Ration (THR) plant of 200 metric tonne per day capacity built at a cost of Rs.28.50-crore at the Banas Dairy at Badarpura in the Banaskantha district. It adds up to 5,368 metric tonnes per month.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the plant has been built as part of the pan-India National Food Security Act, 2013 and Supplementary Nutritional Rules, 2017 under integrated child development scheme after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office. It is the responsibility of state governments to eliminate malnutrition among infants in the age group of six months to six years, pregnant and lactating mothers and young girls. And the Gujarat Government has taken up the task in collaboration with the district cooperative milk unions like Banas Dairy. Gujarat needs about 16,000 metric tonnes of THR per month for 42-lakh target group.
Mr. Rupani said the State Government has entrusted the leading Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) on a ten year contract to supply THR at the centrally administered price through district cooperative milk unions till the last Anganwadi. Banas Dairy producing 5,368 metric tonnes of THR can serve 17,932 Anganwadis in 12 districts.
He said the government has Rs.277.88-crore scheme, called Prevention of Undernutrition and Reduction of Nutritional Anemia among Adolescent Girls (PURNA), for girls in the 15-18 age group. As part of unique Gender Budget, he said the government has introduced 33 per cent reservation for women, 181 Abhayam Mobile App, ordinance to check chain snatching and BetiBachao-BetiPadhao for women’s empowerment. The Chief Minister has started setting up women’s police station, courts in every taluka and making stricter Prohibition Act.
Mr. Rupani presented cheques to 11 farmers as farm input assistance in the wake of drought situation in the district. He presented testimonials to Class-1 and Cass-2 government women officers.
Union Minister of State for Mines and Minerals Haribhai Choudhry said that development works worth Rs.400-crore were dedicated to the people of laid the foundation stone in the district during the 2-day Republic Day function in Banskantha. Increasing the milk procurement price would help the cattle owners. He recalled the compassionate Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s gesture to stay in the flood-hit Banaskantha district during the previous rainy season and supervise the rescue and relief operation for five days.
Banas Dairy Chairman and former Minister Shankar Choudhry announced that milk procurement price will be increased at the rate of Rs.10 per kg of fat and Rs.10 per kg general raise with effect from February 1, 2019. He said that with increased potato production, another potato plant is being set up in the district soon.
Others present on the occasion included MLA KirtisinhVaghela, former Minister Keshaji Chauhan, BJP state general secretary K.C. Patel, Banas Dairy Vice-Chairman Mavjibhai Desai, District Cooperative Union Chairman Anadabhai Patel and Directors.
Source: Information Department, Gujarat
Addressing a large gathering, the Prime Minister recalled having worked in this area for a long time. He said SUMUL – the Surat District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited – has empowered several people in the nearby areas. Here, in SUMUL we see the positive results that can be achieved when Sahkar (Cooperatives) and Sarkar (Government) work together, the Prime Minister said. He said SUMUL also illustrates the good that happens when farmers and dairies work closely.
The plant was inaugurated by Dr. Dhaval kumar Patel, IAS, Collector & DM of Anand on 27th October 2016 in the august presence of Shri Ramsinhbhai Parmar, Chairman, Vice Chairman Shri Rajendrasinh Parmar and Board of Directors of Amul Dairy, Shri Dilip Rath, Chairman and Managing Director, National Dairy Development Board and Shri RS Sodhi, MD, GCMMF. Every year the programme is celebrated on 31st October but due to festivals this year the programme was preponed to 27th October 2016. This most modern milk evaporation plant with a capacity of 35,000 liters per hour would enable the dairy to take care of the increasing flow of milk thereby assured market and income to farmers and produce milk powder that could be marketed nationally and internationally.