ITANAGAR, Sep 8: NABARD, Arunachal Pradesh Regional Office here on Friday organized a State Level Sensitization Workshop on ‘Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme’ (DEDS) & National Livestock Mission (NLM) for senior officials of state Govt., senior bankers, KVK scientists and progressive entrepreneurs. The objective of the workshop was to update all the stakeholders about the latest policy guidelines on DEDS, NLM and other Government initiatives to give a boost to the growth of the animal husbandry sector in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, NABARD GM, Dr. Gyanendra Mani stressed on the importance of animal husbandry sector in general and dairy activity in particular in influencing the livelihood pattern of the rural population of the state. He urged the state Govt. to avail other funds announced by Central Govt and being managed by NABARD viz. RIDF; Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) to enable milk cooperatives and other entities which process milk to upgrade their technology in turn directly benefitting farmers.
He emphasized the need to promote cluster approach in the state for developing the dairy sector and thus creating a sustainable ‘milk route’ within the state. Mani also informed about Central Govt’s effort to tap fund from Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for a dairy development project to be used to set up bulk milk coolers across the country.
Attending the workshop, Minister for Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development, Dr. Mohesh Chai guided a lively interactive session between the bankers and officials of Animal Husbandry department and a few successful beneficiaries. He also highlighted the Prime Minister’s Sankalp Se Siddhi programme with a commitment for doubling of farmers’ income by 2022. He further informed that the state Govt is extending all possible support to farmers and the Govt is committed to create required infrastructure to take the sector in right direction.
Among others, Director of Animal Husbandry department Dr N D Minto and senior bank officers attended the programme.
