The Government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the country’s dairy and livestock sector through a series of initiatives focused on infrastructure development, veterinary healthcare, digital livestock management and farmer welfare.
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, informed the Lok Sabha that multiple flagship programmes are being implemented to improve milk production, increase farmer incomes and modernise India’s livestock ecosystem.
🥛 No Proposal for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Milk
Responding to questions on milk pricing, the Minister clarified that there is currently no proposal to introduce a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for milk.
According to the government:
📈 Milk prices continue to be determined by dairy cooperatives and private dairy companies based on prevailing market conditions.
However, the government continues to support dairy farmers through initiatives aimed at:
✅ Expanding milk procurement networks
✅ Strengthening dairy cooperative societies
✅ Improving milk quality testing infrastructure
✅ Increasing processing capacity
✅ Developing modern dairy infrastructure
🏗️ AHIDF Driving Dairy Infrastructure Development
The Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) remains a key pillar in promoting investments across the livestock value chain.
The scheme supports investments in:
🏭 Dairy processing plants
🥩 Meat processing infrastructure
🌾 Animal feed manufacturing units
🥛 Value-added dairy infrastructure
The government noted that extensive awareness campaigns, stakeholder consultations and training programmes are being conducted to encourage wider participation among farmers and entrepreneurs.
The infrastructure created under AHIDF is expected to:
📈 Improve market access
💰 Enhance farmer incomes
🚜 Promote rural entrepreneurship
Notably, 113 AHIDF projects worth ₹4,700.13 crore have been approved in Maharashtra, with interest subvention support amounting to ₹123.46 crore.
📲 National Digital Livestock Mission Modernising Animal Management
The government also highlighted progress under the National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM).
Under the initiative:
🐄 Every registered animal receives a unique 12-digit Tag ID
📋 Digital records are maintained for:
- Vaccinations
- Breeding history
- Veterinary treatments
- Other animal health services
The Minister emphasised that the platform uses:
🔐 AES-256 encryption
🛡️ Transport Layer Security (TLS)
to ensure secure management of livestock data.
The initiative represents an important step towards building a digitally integrated and traceable livestock ecosystem in India.
🐾 Strengthening Veterinary Healthcare and Disease Control
Several flagship programmes are currently supporting the sector, including:
🌿 National Livestock Mission (NLM)
💉 Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP)
🏗️ Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF)
These schemes aim to:
✅ Improve breed quality
✅ Strengthen veterinary infrastructure
✅ Expand affordable veterinary services
✅ Promote entrepreneurship in animal husbandry
✅ Support disease prevention and control measures
🌾 Building a Modern Dairy Ecosystem
The government’s initiatives reflect a broader strategy to modernise India’s dairy and livestock industries by focusing on:
🥛 Higher milk productivity
🏭 Improved infrastructure and processing capacity
📲 Digital livestock traceability systems
👨🌾 Increased farmer incomes and rural employment
🌍 Sustainable livestock development
As India remains the world’s largest milk producer, strengthening the dairy value chain is expected to play a critical role in supporting food security, rural livelihoods and agricultural growth.
Outlook
While the government has ruled out introducing an MSP for milk at present, its continued investments in infrastructure, digitalisation and veterinary healthcare indicate a long-term strategy aimed at improving efficiency, productivity and income generation across the dairy sector.
The success of these initiatives will be closely watched as India continues to modernise its dairy ecosystem and strengthen its position as a global dairy leader.
