PRAYAGRAJ, April 22 -- As part of a rural empowerment initiative, women from over 120 gram panchayats in Prayagraj district are being mobilised to lead a new phase of the 'White Revolution' under the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). The initiative aims to link around 3,000 women from self-help groups with a milk producer company, enabling them to achieve financial self-reliance through dairy-based livelihoods, informed officials. As part of the initiative, the Kashi Milk Producer Company has started setting up milk pooling centres across selected villages along the Prayagraj-Varanasi state highway. In the first phase, more than 120 villages-identified for their strong base of dairy farmers and women engaged in cattle rearing-have been shortlisted, although the initial plan aimed to cover around 200 villages, said district mission manager (NRLM) Viraj Singh. He said that the women associated with self-help groups and already involved in animal husbandry are being linked to the company to ensure better pricing and bonus incentives for their milk produce. He confirmed that approximately 3,000 women will be covered in the first phase. To support the supply chain, a milk chilling centre has been set up in Khudayipur in Phulpur, where milk collected from various pooling points will be stored. Assistant manager of the company, Vikas Singh, said the initiative will provide multiple benefits to producers. The company will procure milk at Rs.55.40 per kilogram and offer an additional bonus of 60 paise per litre to those supplying more than 100 litres daily. Beyond procurement, the company will extend financial and technical support, including loans of up to Rs.2 lakh at nominal interest rates, access to improved cattle breeds, and supply of nutritious animal feed. A dedicated veterinary service-Sanjeevani Pashu Seva-will also be deployed to ensure the health and productivity of livestock. Officials said the initiative is designed not only to strengthen dairy infrastructure in the region but also to create sustainable income opportunities for rural women. The long-term vision is to expand the model to nearly 1,000 villages, positioning women as key drivers of dairy-led economic growth in eastern Uttar Pradesh....