NDDB signs MoU with Ladakh administration & LAHDC for managing Ladakh Milk Federation

New Delhi: National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) signed a tripartite MoU with Union Territory of Ladakh and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) by which it will manage the entire operations of Ladakh Milk Federation for a period of five years and implement a structured dairy development programme in the region.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Radha Krishna Mathur, Lt. Governor of UT Ladakh and Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, MP of Ladakh, Meenesh Shah, Chairman and Executive Director, NDDB, Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councilor, LAHDC, Leh and Ravinder Kumar, Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Cooperative Department, UT Ladakh.

On this occasion, Chairman, NDDB reiterated the continued focus of NDDB on the regions where dairy sector is yet to be developed to significantly contribute in the livelihoods of the rural households. He further mentioned that NDDB would ensure that the operations of the Federation and the constituent units are professionally managed with emphasis on providing fair and transparent operations to the dairy farmers.

Shah also assured that NDDB along with its subsidiary companies would continue to support the UT of Ladakh in its endeavor to bring about prosperity through Dairying. IDMC, the wholly owned subsidiary company has already completed the refurbishment and upgradation of the milk processing plant, Leh which will be soon operationalized.

Lt. Governor of UT Ladakh said that NDDB’s expertise would help in establishing a robust milk procurement and processing system in Ladakh and would also help in undertaking scientific productivity enhancement activities with focus on animal breeding, nutrition and health. This MoU will encourage entrepreneurs to set up dairy farms leading to Development of Dairy sector in the region, which will also provide an avenue for employment for the rural youth and more milk production in UT.

Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councilor, LAHDC, Leh mentioned that Ladakh has the potential for milk production and this joint efforts by NDDB and the Ladakh Administration would definitely help in ensuring a better remuneration to farmers for their milk.

Addressing the gathering, Member of Parliament, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal said that focused intervention for dairying in the region was long-awaited and signing of this MoU would surely help in bringing socio-economic development in Ladakh.

During the tenure of this MoU, NDDB will provide its services without any management fees and also depute its professional manpower at key managerial positions for managing the operations of the Federations and its constituent units.