Ladakh: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched Ladakh dairy projects and laid the foundation for a new dairy plant in Kargil to strengthen the cooperative sector on May 1.
He inaugurated multiple initiatives in Leh and Kargil, including a ₹25 crore dairy plant with a capacity of 10,000 litres per day. Moreover, he said the project would help women in Kargil achieve financial independence and support their families.
Shah also launched the EMCS mobile application. It will allow milk producers to track their accounts transparently on a single platform. In addition, a mobile testing laboratory was introduced to maintain milk quality standards.
He highlighted an agreement between the Ladakh Milk Federation and Mother Dairy. Therefore, Ladakh’s dairy and organic products will gain access to national markets.
Ladakh dairy projects expand capacity and market access
The Minister said a larger dairy plant with a capacity of 50,000 litres per day would be set up in Leh. He added that the government plans to increase livestock numbers and introduce climate-suitable breeds to boost production.
He noted that milk procurement targets would rise significantly in the coming years. Meanwhile, cooperative networks have already expanded to several villages, linking hundreds of producers.
Shah also cited national growth in milk production, which increased from 146 million tonnes in 2014–15 to 248 million tonnes recently. He said cooperative reforms played a key role in this rise.
He announced plans to establish cooperative societies for pashmina, organic products and honey in Ladakh. Furthermore, he said development spending increased sharply after Ladakh became a Union Territory.
The Minister highlighted infrastructure growth, including roads, telecom and power supply. He added that the Sindhu Infrastructure Development Corporation would accelerate industrial development.
Shah concluded by praising the people of Ladakh for their role in safeguarding the nation’s borders. He said the government aims to make the region self-reliant through sustained development and cooperative initiatives.
