The Hindu : Kerala News : Project to develop dairy sector planned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 30, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Project to develop dairy sector planned

Staff Reporter

Scheme to be implemented jointly with NDDB

ALAPPUZHA: The State Government will implement a comprehensive project with the cooperation of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for development of the dairy sector, the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, said.

Inaugurating the Kuttanad Comprehensive Development Project at Mancombu Paddy Research Centre on Sunday, Mr. Chandy said a high-level delegation of the State Government would visit the NDDB headquarters in Gujarat on June 19 to hold detailed discussions.

The Chief Minister said said the dairy sector should be developed simultaneously with the agricultural sector so as to enable farmers to earn a steady income.

Mr. Chandy said income from the dairy sector was proving to be a great help to farmers of Wayanad who were going through a difficult period in the wake of the crisis in the agriculture sector.

The Chief Minister noted that the dairy sector, especially in North India, had developed by leaps and bounds in recent years. The aim of the State Government was to extend the growth of the dairy sector to the State also.

Paddy procurement

The Chief Minister said the State Government had agreed in principle to buy the paddy procured by various cooperative societies in Kuttanad, through the State Civil Supplies Corporation.

Details of the purchase would be announced in Thiruvanamthapuram after discussions with office-bearers of the cooperative societies, Mr. Chandy said. The Chief Minister pointed out that the Government had provided loan of Rs. 36 crore to societies for paddy procurement the current year.

Mr. Chandy said the only way to revive the economy of the State was by giving a fillip to agriculture and related sectors where a major number of people were employed.

The Minister for Agriculture, K.R. Gouri, presided.

The Minister for Tourism, K.C. Venugopal, and the Minister for Rural Development, C.F. Thomas, spoke.

LDF workers led by K.C. Joseph, MLA, and K.S. Manoj, MP, staged a protest at the inaugural venue against the failure of the Government to buy paddy procured by the cooperative societies in Kuttanad.

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