Odisha CM Announces Rs. 1 Lakh Accidental Death Aid for Milk Farmers, Boosts Dairy Incentives
OMFED-affiliated farmers to get Rs. 3 extra per litre; milk price to increase by Rs. 4, state unveils major dairy initiatives
Bhubaneswar :
On the occasion of World Milk Day, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a slew of benefits for dairy farmers associated with the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (OMFED). Most notably, he declared an accidental death compensation of Rs. 1 lakh for OMFED-affiliated milk producers.
In a move to encourage higher milk production, CM Majhi also announced that farmers will receive an additional Rs. 3 per litre of milk supplied to OMFED. This comes along with a milk price hike of Rs. 4 per litre, where the government will subsidise Rs. 2 and consumers will bear the remaining Rs. 2.
Speaking at a state-level event, Majhi noted that Odisha produced 26.4 lakh metric tonnes of milk in FY 2023–24. However, the per capita milk availability in Odisha is just 156 grams, far below the national average of 471 grams. "We aim to double milk production in five years," he said.
To realise this goal, the government has launched the Mukhyamantri Kamadhenu Yojana (MKY) with an outlay of Rs. 1,423 crore. Under MKY, up to 70% financial assistance is offered to dairy farmers, aiming to cover 15 lakh cattle rearers. Already, Rs. 71 crore has benefited 3 lakh farmers.
The CM also highlighted the Mukhyamantri Prani Kalyan Yojana (MPKY) with a Rs. 186 crore budget, supporting existing and new goshalas. So far, Rs. 19.5 crore has been disbursed, benefitting around 22,000 stray cattle.
On the occasion, three new OMFED dairy products were launched.
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