No Announcement on Milk Subsidy As Yet; The File is Lying With The Finance Department?

Ranjani (Manchar Taulka), Ramesh Jadhav

Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil announced a subsidy of Rs 5 per liter for cow's milk to producers supplying milk to cooperative milk societies in the state. This decision was expected to be implemented from January 1, 2024, but the file of this grant is lying with the Finance Department and it has come to light that no order can be issued without the decision of the Finance Department or the Cabinet.

There has been a big fall in the price of cow's milk in the state for the past few months. Actually the rate of Rs 34 per liter has been made mandatory by the government. But from private and co-operative society, the rate of Rs 26 to 27 is generally available. Earlier, various farmers' organizations continuously protested and drew the attention on this issue. It was effectively raised by the opposition in the recently held winter session. After that, Dairy Development Minister Vikhe Patil announced that a subsidy of Rs.5 per liter will be given to provide relief to the milk producers. But the condition of giving this subsidy to the farmers who supply milk only to the cooperative milk union was added.

It is reliably understood that the relevant milk subsidy order has been passed through the state government. But it is seen that no action has been taken on it yet. In the state, currently 1 crore 6 lakh 5 thousand liters of milk is collected daily from private unions and 43 lakh 69 thousand liters from cooperative unions. Interestingly, 70 to 80 percent of milk in the state is given to private milk unions while the remaining 20 to 30 percent milk goes to cooperative unions.

The new muster of milk collection starts from January 1, 2024. It is likely that milk producers will get a bill with this subsidy of Rs 5 in the coming weeks. But according to the order of the government, it is reliably understood that this subsidy will be available only from 11th January to 20th February.

Meanwhile, due to the increasing price of animal feed and the price of milk, the economic calculations are not matching, so the milk producers are shocked, It seems the Government is buying time and waiting for the link season to start around March. It seems that there is a conspiracy of the government to take a stand on giving subsidy when the prices of milk automatically increase.

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