HP Govt Partners with NDDB for Milk Plant in Kangra

Shimla, Feb 4 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to provide consultancy services for the establishment of an automated milk processing plant in Dhagwar in Kangra, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Sunday.

The Dhagwar plant, with an initial capacity of 1.50 lakh litres per day (LLDP) and expandable up to 3 LLPD, would be a fully automatic facility and will play a crucial role in bolstering the rural economy by directly purchasing milk from the farmers in four districts of Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra and Una, he said in a statement.

"This ambitious project, set to be constructed with an investment of Rs 225 crore in the first phase, aims to produce a diverse range of dairy products, including curd, lassi, butter, ghee, paneer, flavoured milk, khoya and mozzarella cheese," he said.

"An additional investment of Rs 43 crore has been earmarked for strengthening the milk procurement network with a target to purchase 2.74 LLPD for sustaining the plant's operations" he added.

The initiative, aligned with the government's commitment to farmer welfare, also includes plans for the second phase, which would see the production of milk powder, ice cream and various types of cheese at the Dhagwar Plant, the statement added.