Himachal Pradesh Boosts Rural Economy with Milk Procurement Reforms and Health Awareness Initiatives

Himachal Pradesh’s Trailblazing Milk Procurement Model

In a progressive step toward empowering rural communities, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presided over a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry Department, announcing significant reforms in the state’s milk procurement system. Himachal Pradesh leads the nation by introducing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for milk, ensuring remunerative prices for producers. Cow milk fetches ₹45 per litre, while buffalo milk earns ₹55 per litre, making it the highest MSP for milk in India.

To further strengthen the rural economy, the state government has allocated ₹161.52 crore for six advanced milk chilling and processing plants. A state-of-the-art milk processing facility in Dagwar, Kangra district, with a capacity of 1.5 lakh litres per day (expandable to 3 lakh litres), is set to benefit districts such as Kangra, Una, and Hamirpur. Scheduled for completion by March 2026, this plant has achieved 10% progress so far.

The Chief Minister emphasized leveraging high-end technology, including digitization, to ensure seamless milk procurement and transport. Initiatives include:

• Real-time data management with mobile and web interfaces.
• GPS-enabled route tracking for efficient logistics.
• Individual milk testing for quality assurance.
• Pilot digitization projects in 8–10 societies for transparent operations.

Farmers will directly receive payments in their bank accounts, with SMS updates on milk collection, quality, and pricing. The Chief Minister also urged promoting Himachali dairy products to secure better market prices and encourage natural farming practices aligned with cattle rearing.

Chief Minister Sukhu also launched the ‘Har Din Sehat’ campaign, a comprehensive health initiative aimed at fostering health consciousness and disease prevention among the people of Himachal Pradesh.

Led by students of IGMC Shimla and Sister Nivedita Nursing College, the campaign will conduct health talks in public places, hospitals, and municipal areas in Shimla.

These sessions aim to:

• Promote healthy lifestyle habits.
• Raise awareness of government health facilities.
• Encourage the effective utilization of public health schemes.

The Chief Minister highlighted that this initiative is designed as a sustainable, long-term program to integrate health awareness into daily life, striving for a healthier, more informed society in Himachal Pradesh.

By aligning economic empowerment with health awareness, these reforms mark a transformative step in the state’s development journey.

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