INDIA – The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in India has been actively promoting green energy and sustainable rural development initiatives, Chairman Dr. Meenesh C. Shah revealed during a high-level meeting led by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil.
The discussions centered on establishing dung-based compressed biogas (CBG) plants and advancing green energy production in alignment with sustainable rural development goals.
According to reports, the Union Minister highlighted the Gobardhan initiative as a crucial model for generating “Wealth from Waste” and positioning India as a leader in green energy.
The initiative aligns with the Swachh Bharat Mission and contributes to a cleaner and more prosperous nation.
Acknowledging the contributions of NDDB and Gujarat’s dairy cooperatives under the program, he emphasized the need for a comprehensive plan to scale up the initiative with integrated support from various government ministries.
Dr. Meenesh Shah presented various biogas and manure management models during the meeting, including decentralized small-capacity biogas plants at farmers’ backyards, the centralized Banas Dairy CBG model in Gujarat, and a biogas plant in Varanasi supplying thermal and electrical energy to a dairy plant.
Reports indicate that he also highlighted NDDB’s efforts in generating carbon credits from manure management and proposed collaborating with the government to explore opportunities under relevant support schemes to maximize farmer benefits.
Additionally, he put forward key policy recommendations, including increasing MNRE grants, creating a structured scheme for large-scale CBG adoption, reducing GST on household biogas plants, and providing subsidies for organic fertilizers.
He further suggested enabling village dairy cooperatives to sell organic fertilizers under the Market Development Assistance scheme to enhance the viability and scalability of the initiative.
In a separate event, students from VAMNICOM Pune, an institution under the Ministry of Cooperation, visited NDDB as part of their study tour to gain insights into cooperative strategies that have strengthened India’s rural economy.
The students explored dairy cooperative operations in Mujkuva village and learned about allied cooperative initiatives such as the Solar Pump Irrigators Cooperative Enterprise and Sakhi Mahila Khad Sahakari Mandali.
Their visit also included NDDB’s Fodder Demonstration and Slurry Processing Units, where they were introduced to sustainable practices and innovative technologies in the dairy sector.
Dr. Meenesh Shah also met with Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to discuss NDDB’s ongoing efforts for inclusive farmer development in Madhya Pradesh.
Discussions covered various issues, including procurement of fruits and vegetables through the Integrated Agricultural System, expansion of biogas and dung management programs, and support for fodder and honey farmer-producer organizations.
Reports indicate that the Union Minister appreciated NDDB’s work with the Madhya Pradesh government and assured full support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for these farmer-centric initiatives.
In Odisha, Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated several NDDB-led projects aimed at strengthening the state’s dairy sector.
Reports indicate that Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi expressed gratitude for the initiatives, acknowledging their significance in improving rural employment and enhancing the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.
He praised NDDB’s efforts and highlighted the memorandum of understanding between NDDB and OMFED as a milestone in advancing Odisha’s dairy cooperative sector.
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