- Assam Dairy Subsidy Scheme offers Rs. 5 per litre help to organised milk producers for up to 30 litres daily.
- Scheme supports 20,000 dairy farmers across 601 cooperative societies, with Rs. 10 crore budget for 2025-26.
- Big plans aim to raise processed milk to 10 lakh litres per day, expand dairy plants, and boost exports by 2030.
Assam Dairy Subsidy Scheme is a new government scheme started by the Assam Chief Minister, offering financial help of Rs. 5 per litre to organised sector dairy farmers. This scheme is made to boost milk production and processing in Assam by encouraging farmers and dairy cooperatives, aiming to bring a White Revolution in the region.
Who Can Apply for Assam Dairy Subsidy Scheme?
The scheme targets organised sector dairy farmers who supply milk to well-known dairy cooperative societies and processing units. Only farmers associated with one of the 601 registered dairy cooperative societies in Assam can get the Rs. 5 per litre subsidy. The subsidy applies for daily milk supplies up to 30 litres per farmer and is meant to benefit about 20,000 dairy farmers across the state.
Details and Benefits of the Rs. 5 per Litre Subsidy
The government has set a budget of Rs. 10 crore for the year 2025-26 to fund this subsidy. For each eligible litre of milk supplied, farmers get Rs. 5 help, capped at 30 litres per day. This direct financial support aims to improve farmers’ income and encourage higher milk production in the organised dairy sector.
Role of Dairy Cooperatives and Processing Units in Assam
Dairy cooperatives like Purabi and Sitajakhala play a key role in collecting milk from farmers and processing it for sale. Currently, daily milk production in Assam is about 29 lakh litres, but only around 1 lakh litres are processed through cooperative societies. The scheme promotes higher farmer involvement in these cooperatives, helping increase processed milk volume, and making sure producers get fair prices and timely payments.
Also Read – Assam Government 50% Subsidy Scheme on Farm Equipment to Enhance Crop Yield
Expansion Plans and Infrastructure Development
To meet growing demand and subsidy goals, Assam is quickly expanding its dairy infrastructure. Important initiatives include:
Major Dairy Plants
- Purabi Dairy capacity grew from 60,000 to 1.5 lakh litres/day last year.
- Expansion ongoing to 3 lakh litres/day at Purabi Dairy with Rs. 104.55 crore investment.
- Amul setting up a 1 lakh litre/day processing unit near Rani, Guwahati.
- North East Dairy Food Limited runs plants in Silchar (5,000 litres), Nalbari, Barpeta, Bajali (20,000 litres each), and smaller units in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Bokakhat (5,000 litres each).
Future Plans
- New projects in progress to process 1 lakh litres daily each at Dhemaji, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh.
- Setting up dairy cooperative societies in 4,000 villages to stabilize milk supply.
- Goal of processing 10 lakh litres per day by 2030 to open export markets.
Supporting Activities and Quality Control Measures
The scheme encourages dairy cooperatives to take up activities like beekeeping, and producing biogas and bio-CNG from cow dung, to give farmers extra income. To keep milk quality high, the Directorate of Dairy Development has set up five milk testing laboratories across the state for strict quality checks.
How to Get Subsidy Payments and Financial Help
Subsidy payments are directly transferred to the bank accounts of eligible dairy farmers every month on a fixed date. This makes the process clear and timely. Also, the government plans to give initial capital help to the new 4,000 dairy cooperatives for buying cows and growing their operations efficiently.
Government Programs to Increase Milk Production
Efforts to raise milk output include a sex-sorted semen program which procured 2.16 lakh frozen semen doses from 2022-25, leading to 27,748 female calf births. Crossbreeding Gir cattle with local Lakshmi cows is in progress to improve milk yields. These scientific breeding efforts show the government’s dedication to improving dairy sector productivity.
Future Vision: Turning Assam Into a Dairy Export Hub by 2030
Assam plans to become a major dairy exporter in the Northeast and beyond by 2030. The goal is to process 10 lakh litres of milk daily through a strong network of dairy cooperatives and plants, supplying good quality dairy products within the country and internationally. Help from the Ministry of Cooperation, along with partnerships with NDDB and Amul, form the base of this ambitious plan.
With a well-rounded approach combining subsidy support, infrastructure growth, scientific breeding, and strengthening cooperatives, the Assam Dairy Subsidy Scheme is setting a hopeful path for milk producers and the dairy industry overall.