Kolkata, June 21 -- The Bengal government will set up a modern milk processing plant on more than five acres of land at Debra in West Midnapore, adjacent to the National Highway.
The project, being implemented by the Department of Animal Resources Development (ARD) with
support from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), is expected to strengthen dairy infrastructure and benefit local farmers.
Milk will be procured from farmers associated with the Midnapore Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd. (MIMUL), processed at the facility and marketed on the lines of the Haringhata milk plant.
The foundation stone for the project was laid during a previous Trinamool Congress government, but work never commenced and the site gradually became overgrown.
State Panchayats and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh, accompanied by senior district administration officials and representatives of the ARD Department, recently inspected the proposed project site.
"There is a winding canal passing through the area, which needs to be excavated and rejuvenated. The canal overflows its banks and floods nearby habitations. Discussions have already been held with the Irrigation and Waterways Department, which will take the necessary steps to prevent the overflow," Ghosh said.
A crematorium located adjacent to the site will also have to be shifted further back. According to officials, the local Block Development Officer (BDO) has held discussions with residents, who have given their preliminary consent for the relocation.
"The ARD Department has started preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project, which will mark a significant investment in the region's dairy supply chain. It will help generate employment and provide greater market access to local milk producers," a Nabanna official said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.