Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said Rs 201 crore have been allocated for the construction of state-of-the-art milk processing plant at Dhagwar in Kangra district.

The milk plant is being developed in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board and the construction work was scheduled to begin soon, he said here on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister added that the project would immensely benefit the dairy farming community and contribute to the state’s economy.

“The plant would be built having an initial capacity of 1.50 lakh litres per day (LLPD) which could be further expanded up to 3 LLPD. This fully automatic plant aims to produce a variety of dairy products such as curd, lassi, butter, ghee, paneer, flavored milk, khoya and mozzarella cheese, he said, adding that this project is expected to enhance the economic prosperity of the farmers in Kangra, Hamirpur, Chamba and Una districts.

“As the project unfolds, it is poised to bring prosperity to the dairy farming community and ensure that farmers get good value for their hard work. The new milk processing plant stands as a testament to the government’s dedication to improving the livelihood of the farmers and promoting the state’s dairy industry in a big way,” he said.

Sukhu further said that the initiative aligns with the government’s steadfast commitment to farmer welfare.

“Once the Dhagwar milk processing plant begins operations, the government also plans to start production of milk powder, ice cream and various types of cheese at this plant,” said Sukhu.

Reiterating the state government’s commitment to the welfare of farmers, he said that the milk procurement rates have been raised significantly by the present government.

The procurement price of cow milk has been raised from Rs. 32 to Rs. 45 per litre and buffalo milk to Rs 55 per litre.

“The move is part of the broader efforts to boost farmer’s income. We will introduce new welfare schemes in the future as well,” said the Chief Minister.

“Strengthening the rural economy is imperative for making Himachal Pradesh self-sufficient and prosperous, as about 95 percent of the state’s population resides in rural areas. Without achieving the goal of strengthening the rural economy by making farmers financially stable and strong, the vision of a prosperous and self-reliant Himachal remains unattainable,” he added.