The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Shri Kavinder Gupta, emphasised that the dairy and allied sectors play a pivotal role in building self-reliant and resilient communities across Ladakh by creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, empowering rural households, and reducing dependence on external markets.
He said this while interacting with a delegation of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) led by its Chairman, Dr. Meenesh Shah, in New Delhi today.
The Lt Governor noted that focused interventions in animal husbandry, milk processing, and cold-chain logistics would enhance farmers’ incomes and contribute to realizing the vision of a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Ladakh, aligned with the national goal of inclusive and sustainable rural development.
Earlier, Dr. Meenesh Shah gave a detailed presentation on NDDB’s ongoing and proposed initiatives aimed at empowering local dairy farmers and strengthening the dairy ecosystem in Ladakh through greater community participation. He sought administrative support for key projects, including funding for a new 50 TLPD dairy plant in Leh, solar-powered expansion of the Kargil dairy plant, and expedited approval for NDDB’s plans to enhance milk productivity and procurement across the region.
Dr. Shah also underlined the need for farmer mobilization in Leh and Kargil districts and suggested addressing high air transport costs for perishables such as apricots during winter by exploring viable logistics solutions or subsidy mechanisms to ensure economic sustainability for local producers.
The Lt Governor reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to work closely with NDDB and local stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability, improved farmer incomes, and inclusive rural development. He assured full support from the Administration to translate NDDB’s initiatives into tangible benefits for the people of Ladakh, advancing the shared vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Ladakh.
Dr Meenesh Shah. Chairman NDDB; S Regupathi, Executive Director, NDDB; JT Chary, Deputy MD, Mother Dairy; Manoj Solanki. MD, Ladakh Milk Federation; Sandeep Dheeman, Senior Manager, NDDB and Nikit Bansal, Manager, NDDB were present in the meeting.