Punjab To Augment Verka Milk Supply To Delhi: Bhagwant Mann

The Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited (Milkfed) sells milk products under the Verka brand. Mann further said Verka will also open its outlets in the national capital.

Mann was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a milk processing and butter plant here. "At present 30,000 litres of milk is being supplied to Delhi. We want it to be raised to 2 lakh litres per day," said Mann.

The chief minister said the state government has inked an agreement with the Delhi government for opening of Verka outlets at every nook and corner in the national capital.

The move is aimed at extending maximum support and best prices to the dairy farmers of Punjab, Mann said, adding that farmer-friendly schemes should be implemented so as to boost the dairying business amongst the youth and make them financially independent.

Mann said he has asked Milkfed to further launch an aggressive marketing campaign to capture a sizable chunk of consumer market not only in the state but across the country and even abroad. The chief minister said Verka products like ghee, milk, butter etc have already created a niche in the nationwide market, which could further be widened with concerted efforts.

About the new plant which was inaugurated here, Mann said it has been built at a cost of Rs 105 crore. Its milk processing capacity is 9 lakh litres and butter handling capacity is 10 metric tonnes per day, he said.

In a step aimed at wiping out the menace of paddy straw burning from the state, the country's largest bio energy plant has been set up in Sangrur at a?cost of Rs 230 crore. On lumpy skin disease, Mann said the state government has sent a detailed list of the cattle wealth that fell prey to this disease to the Centre.

He said the state government will raise the issue of giving compensation to the farmers who have lost their cattle due to this disease with the Union government. Mann said strenuous efforts are being made to ensure that the Centre declares this disease as pandemic.?

(With PTI Inputs)