Chandigarh, October 3 – Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said that by 2029, every village in India will be connected with the cooperative movement, marking a new era of rural empowerment. He was addressing a gathering at the inauguration of the expanded Sabarkantha Dairy (Amul) plant in IMT Rohtak, Haryana, alongside Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and several dignitaries.
Shah highlighted India’s transformation into the world’s largest milk producer, crediting White Revolution 2.0 for strengthening more than 40,000 dairy cooperatives and establishing over 75,000 dairy societies nationwide. He noted that milk production in India has surged from 140 million tonnes in 2014 to 249 million tonnes today, with indigenous cow milk output rising from 29 million tonnes to 50 million tonnes. “Over the past 11 years, the dairy sector has recorded 70% growth, the fastest globally,” he said.
Shah added that nearly 8 crore farmers have joined the dairy sector, raising per capita milk availability from 124 grams in 2014 to 471 grams per day now. He called the Rohtak dairy expansion a “milestone for Haryana’s prosperity,” noting that it is the country’s largest facility for curd, buttermilk, yogurt, and sweets, with a daily capacity of 150 MT of curd, 3 MT of buttermilk, 10 MT of yogurt, and 10 MT of sweets.
The minister also praised Haryana’s contribution to national defense, sports, and agriculture, pointing out that the state produces the highest number of soldiers, medal-winning athletes, and grain supplies. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling the long-pending demand for a separate Ministry of Cooperation, which has strengthened grassroots cooperatives in just four years.
Discussing Sabarkantha Dairy’s journey, Shah recalled how it began with only three people in Gujarat and now conducts business worth ₹85,000 crore globally. He revealed that the company has pledged to double the Rohtak plant’s capacity within a year, ensuring benefits reach farmers across every district of Haryana.
Promising further support to livestock farmers, Shah assured that embryo transfer, sex-sorted semen, and modern breeding schemes would be extended to all. He also stressed promoting beekeeping, organic farming, and sustainable livestock practices under three key goals: animal feed management, dung utilization, and circular economy in dairy.
Shah said the National Gokul Mission and the creation of the Animal Husbandry Fund have proven to be a boon for farmers. “The government is committed to making Indian dairy farmers self-reliant by accelerating research and tripling the pace of setting up processing plants so that Indian dairy products can reach the global market,” he concluded.
The event was attended by Union Ministers Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar, Haryana Cooperation Minister Dr. Arvind Kumar Sharma, BJP state president Mohan Lal Kaushik, Gujarat Minister Bhikhu Parmar, MPs Dharambir Singh and Ramchandra Jangra, along with Sabarkantha Dairy Chairman Shamlabhai B. Patel, Amul Chairman Ashokbhai Choudhary, and other dignitaries.
