Himachal's Dairy Dream: 6 New Plants to Boost Rural Livelihoods

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced the establishment of six new milk processing and chilling plants across the state as part of efforts to strengthen the dairy sector and improve rural livelihoods.

Chairing a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry Department on June 19, 2025, the Chief Minister underscored the importance of expanding dairy cooperative societies to create employment and self-employment opportunities, especially for youth in rural areas. Currently, dairy cooperatives are active in 910 panchayats, with plans to extend their presence further.

During the meeting, CM Sukhu also assessed the progress of the Dagwar Milk Processing Plant in Kangra district. With a processing capacity of 1.5 lakh litres per day and a project cost of ₹225 crore, the plant is expected to be operational by June 2026. It will serve farmers across Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, and Chamba districts. To ensure timely execution, the Chief Minister directed the formation of a monitoring committee to oversee project milestones.

He also noted that MILKFED's milk procurement has grown by 17% over the past three years, reflecting rising participation and productivity in the state’s dairy sector.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.