Advent of Second White Revolution in India

Fourteen years after the success of "Operation Flood" that turned India into the largest milk producer in the world, the country is about to take the next step in this direction. National Dairy Support Project, an initiative by the government of India in order to increase milk production in the country has been funded by the World Bank with a sum of $352 million.

Dairying apart from being important for nutritional security is also a source of livelihood for 147 million households. Currently India produces 127.3 million tonnes (2011-12) of milk per annum. Based on the demand of milk and milk products, the milk production is expected to be 180 million tonnes, according to government of India estimates. It has also been observed that the annual production of milk has reduced over a decade from 4.3% in 1990 to 3.8% in 2000's. Thus, the initiative taken by the government is a two way solution for the increasing demand for milk and milk products and to come up with this drop in production. In order to achieve 180 million tonnes target of milk production per annum the growth rate of milk production has to be 5.5% year after year. For this, milk production capacity of milch animals has to be increased from per animal to per animal per day which is he global standard.

In order to combat all these issues related to the hampered growth of the dairy sector, the National Dairy Development Board under the Chairmanship of Dr. Miss Amrita Patel has prepared a National Dairy Plan. The first phase of this plan which started in April, 2012 has been funded by the World Bank to get it operational. Total financial outlay of the National Dairy plan launched under the name "Milk Mission" and which has a tenure of 15 years is Rs. 17,300 crore. The first phase has an estimated project cost of Rs. 2292 crore which includes Rs. 1584 crore as International Development Association (IDA) credit, Rs. 176 crore as Government of India share, Rs. 282 crore as share of End Implementing Agencies whose role is to carry out the projects in participating states and Rs. 200 crore by the National Dairy Development Board and its subsidiaries to provide technical and implementation support.

The prime objectives of NDP are:

1. To improve animal productivity.

2. To strengthen and expand infrastructure for milk procurement at village level.

3. To enhance milk processing capacity.

It aims at doubling artificial insemination to 40% of milch animals. This can only be achieved by production of 2500 high genetic merit bulls indigenously and by importing 400 bulls or equivalent embryos or semen doses of high fertility pure and jersey pure breeds. The cost of shall account for Rs. 46 crore. Apart from this, NDDB is also working on the strengthening of existing semen stations and to set up new ones, which will cost Rs. 237 crore, according Dr. Amrita Patel. Other steps under this program is the promotion of ration balancing programme in order to cover 2.7 million milch animals in 40000 villages, fodder development and promoting and strengthening village-based milk procurement system.

NDP will be launched in the " Cow Belt" which includes 14 major milk producing states of the country namely, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal which account for 90% of India's