The Punjab Government has chalked out a special programme to increase milk production in the state. It plans to spend Rs 93 crore on it during 2012-13. This was announced by the Dairy Development Minister, Mr Gulzar Singh Ranike.
He said modernisation of semen banks at Ropar and Nabha, expansion of area under cultivation of green fodder, implementation of subsidies on various schemes for welfare of dairy farmers and on milking machines, import of foetus from the US under the Foetus Exchange Programme to increase milk production besides improving breeds of milch-cattle was needed.
Mr Ranike said that Patiala has a state-of-the-art laboratory for foetus exchange, which would give better results in future.
He added that the Punjab Government has bought 3 lakh doses of foreign semen from the US and Canada for improvement of cow breeds in the state.