Jaipur: The state, which had set a target of 50 lakh kg of milk procurement by 2020 under the livestock development policy announced in 2010, did not support it with necessary planning and financial assistance, points out the recent CAG report.
Rajasthan is having the second largest livestock population and milk production with 12.72% share in the country. During 2017-18, 1.65 crore milch animals produced 2.24 crore tonnes of milk in the state.
According to data in the year 2017-18, the state had 834 grams per capita per day availability of milk against 375 grams per day availability of milk in the country.
However, according to the CAG report, the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF), which is the apex body of the three-tier cooperative structure in the state, could only procure a small fraction of the milk produced as it could neither expand its capacity of processing milk nor provide remunerative price to the dairy farmers.
The farmers thus preferred to sell their produce directly in the market than selling it through the cooperative body.
RCDF had approved in 2014 a ‘Vision Document 2020’ aimed at achieving a collection of 40 lakh litres of milk per day and marketing of 35 lakh litres by the same year.
The report said the targets set by the RCDF were not in consonance with that of the livestock policy of 2010 (target of 50 lakh kg of milk) as RCDF prepared its vision document independently without consulting the animal husbandry department. Further, the target is also inadequate in terms of surplus production in the state and in terms of the national average procurement achieved by cooperatives across the country.
The report further said, “No market survey was carried out by RCDF for increasing procurement, processing and marketing of milk. The report found RCDF execution and monitoring of dairy sector schemes and internal control mechanism inadequate.”
Dairy plant at Khetri incomplete
The RCDF dairy project with a capacity of 25,000 litres of milk per day at Khetri in Jhunjhunu district is still incomplete. The Rs 6.5 crore project was launched in 2013. RCDF had executed an MoU with Rajasthan Avas Vikas and Infrastructure Ltd (RAVIL) for the civil work and scheduled completion by February 2014.
The CAG report said RAVIL completed the civil work with a delay of three years in July 2017.
RCDF in 2017 demanded additional funds of Rs 3.4 crore from the state government due to cost escalation. But the amount was not sanctioned till August 2018. RCDF also did not make efforts to supplement the shortfall. As a result, the plant could not be made operational.
Rajasthan is having the second largest livestock population and milk production with 12.72% share in the country. During 2017-18, 1.65 crore milch animals produced 2.24 crore tonnes of milk in the state.
According to data in the year 2017-18, the state had 834 grams per capita per day availability of milk against 375 grams per day availability of milk in the country.
However, according to the CAG report, the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF), which is the apex body of the three-tier cooperative structure in the state, could only procure a small fraction of the milk produced as it could neither expand its capacity of processing milk nor provide remunerative price to the dairy farmers.
The farmers thus preferred to sell their produce directly in the market than selling it through the cooperative body.
RCDF had approved in 2014 a ‘Vision Document 2020’ aimed at achieving a collection of 40 lakh litres of milk per day and marketing of 35 lakh litres by the same year.
The report said the targets set by the RCDF were not in consonance with that of the livestock policy of 2010 (target of 50 lakh kg of milk) as RCDF prepared its vision document independently without consulting the animal husbandry department. Further, the target is also inadequate in terms of surplus production in the state and in terms of the national average procurement achieved by cooperatives across the country.
The report further said, “No market survey was carried out by RCDF for increasing procurement, processing and marketing of milk. The report found RCDF execution and monitoring of dairy sector schemes and internal control mechanism inadequate.”
Dairy plant at Khetri incomplete
The RCDF dairy project with a capacity of 25,000 litres of milk per day at Khetri in Jhunjhunu district is still incomplete. The Rs 6.5 crore project was launched in 2013. RCDF had executed an MoU with Rajasthan Avas Vikas and Infrastructure Ltd (RAVIL) for the civil work and scheduled completion by February 2014.
The CAG report said RAVIL completed the civil work with a delay of three years in July 2017.
RCDF in 2017 demanded additional funds of Rs 3.4 crore from the state government due to cost escalation. But the amount was not sanctioned till August 2018. RCDF also did not make efforts to supplement the shortfall. As a result, the plant could not be made operational.
