J&K Dairy Sector: Over 16.5 Lakh Farmers Covered, ₹140 Cr Released Under Key Scheme

Ziraat Times News Desk

New Delhi, March 18: More than 16.5 lakh dairy farmers in Jammu and Kashmir have been covered under central training and awareness programmes, with over ₹140 crore released under the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), the Centre informed Parliament on Wednesday.

According to data shared by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, around 16.53 lakh farmers in J&K have been covered under the National Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) component of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission. Additionally, about 6,000 farmers have received training under NPDD.

Funds and Scheme Coverage

Under NPDD (Component A), Jammu and Kashmir has seen six projects sanctioned with a total approved cost of ₹241.06 crore. Of this, ₹140.50 crore has been released and fully utilised, indicating strong financial implementation in the Union Territory.

Further, ₹102.73 crore has been released to J&K over the past five years under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission to support livestock development and breed improvement.

Awareness and Training Push

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) is implementing multiple training and capacity-building programmes across the country, including in J&K, under schemes such as:

• National Livestock Mission (NLM)

• Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)

• National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)

• Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP)

These programmes include farmer training, fertility camps, clean milk production awareness, dairy management, and skill development initiatives.

Monitoring and Implementation

The Centre said a structured monitoring mechanism is in place under each scheme, including national and regional review meetings with states and independent monitoring systems to ensure transparency and timely execution.

Financial support is also provided for awareness campaigns and disease control initiatives under LHDCP, with J&K receiving ₹128.98 lakh over the past five years for publicity and farmer awareness activities.

Focus on Capacity Building

The government emphasised that training programmes are aimed at improving scientific livestock management, enhancing productivity, and strengthening rural livelihoods through better dairy practices and market linkages.

The initiatives form part of a broader push to modernise India’s dairy sector through improved infrastructure, technology adoption, and farmer capacity building.