PANAJI
In a bid to boost the cooperative dairy sector, the Goa government has unveiled a new scheme entailing grants and subsidies of up to Rs 3.5 lakh for infrastructure upgrade and allied activities to enhance business of dairy cooperatives operating in the State.
The “Infrastructure Development Scheme for Dairy Co-operatives” also provides for grants and subsidies to the cooperatives to help them meet managerial, administrative and staff costs.
Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Arvind Bugde, who has notified the scheme, said the State is facing acute shortage of milk and is dependent on imports from neighboring States which is why the need to boost the dairy cooperatives and achieve self sufficiency.
Dairy Co-operative Societies who regularly supply milk to the Milk Union will be entitled to a grant of Rs 1.5 lakh annually if they collect above 500 litres a day.
Smaller ones who achieve 300 to 500 litres a day will get Rs one-lakh and those who collect under 300 ltires will get Rs 75,000.
Dairy cooperatives run by the tribal community will be entitled to higher grants under the Tribal sub-plan of up to Rs 3.75 lakh if their daily milk collection is above 1,250 litres and Rs 3-lakh for those dairies that collect between 1,000 and 1,250 litres of milk daily.
For tribal cooperatives which collect 750-1,000 litres a day, the quantum of grant will be up to Rs 2.25 lakh and Rs 1.75 lakh for those whose capacity is 500-750 litres daily. The scheme also earmarks lower levels of grants to smaller cooperatives promoted by tribals.
