Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr. L Murugan laid the foundation stone for a 2MW Solar power plant at Thripunithura for which National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has sanctioned a Rs 15.25 crore-project under Government of India’s Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF).
On this occasion, a bust of late Dr. Verghese Kurien, the founder chairman of NDDB and also known as the milkman of India, was unveiled by J Chinchurani, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Government of Kerala. Also, Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB was handed over the Detailed Project Report of Ernakulam Milk Union under the ‘Promising Milk Union’ scheme of NDDB.
On the occasion, Shah said, “This 2 MW captive solar power plant of Ernakulam Dairy will become the first dairy plant in India to be run entirely on this renewable energy and will also help the dairy to reduce its power consumption by nearly 90 percent”.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Murugan said the network of dairy cooperatives in the country is a model that other sectors of Indian agriculture can follow and replicate – both to improve the livelihoods of farmers as well as to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency – Atma Nirbharata.
The Minister further stated that the setting up of this solar power plant under DIDF is an indication of the Government of India’s commitment to support the cooperative dairy sector in the country. Also, I am happy that NDDB has identified the Ernakulam Milk Union for providing special support as a Promising Milk Union which will help it to realize its full potential in terms of milk procurement, processing and marketing.
P Rajeev, Minister for Law and Industries, Government of Kerala, Members of Parliament Hibi Eden and Benny Behanan, KS Mani, Chairman, KCMMF, John Theruvath, Chairman, Ernakulam Milk Union, Dr Patil Suyog Subhash Rao, Managing Director, Milma, Wilson J Puravakkattu, Managing Director, Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (ERCMPU) were present on the occasion.
Registered in 1985, Ernakulam Milk Union procures on an average nearly 4 lakh litres of milk from about 41,500 dairy farmers in Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. The Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF) owns the brand Milma and comprises of three regional Cooperative Milk Unions including Ernakulam. At present, Milma procures around 14.5 lakh litres of milk daily from more than 3,300 dairy cooperative societies spread across the state.
