The Rs 1,584-crore World Bank-funded National Dairy Plan aimed at empowering the dairy farmers is likely to be launched within next six months, a Planning Commission official said today.
“The National Dairy Plan will be launched by the National Dairy Development Board. It will try to empower the farmers through producer companies and various co-operatives. May be within six months or so, it will take a shape,” the Planning Commission Advisor (Agriculture), Mr V.V. Sadamate, told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The project would be implemented at a cost of Rs 1,584 crore, he added.
“In the next three to four months, we should be ready with the draft of the 12th Five Year Plan. The state governments are now delivering their plans for the 12th plan.”
Delivering J Jayalalithaa Endowment Lecture at the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University here, Mr Sadamate said: “During the last five years, at the current prices the contribution of livestock sector to the State Gross Domestic Product has increased from 2.22 per cent to 2.58 per cent, while its share contribution to the agricultural sector has increased from 21.97 per cent to 24.80 per cent.”