The dairy sector in Chittoor district, considered number one in Andhra Pradesh, is making rapid strides towards meeting the target of 30 lakh litres a day by 2030.
Officials of the Animal Husbandry Department say the large-scale implementation of ‘Gokulam’ sheds under the MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) is yielding positive results, with a spike in milk production from less than 15 lakh litres a day a couple of years ago to 20 lakh litres a day currently.District Collector Sumit Kumar said the prime focus is on livestock welfare by providing the infrastructure support.
The Hindu LogoHomeNewsIndiaAndhra PradeshDairy sector in Chittoor targets production of 30 lakh litres a dayPublished – April 19, 2025 07:00 pm IST – CHITTOORK UmashankerK. UmashankerThe dairy sector in Chittoor district, considered number one in Andhra Pradesh, is making rapid strides towards meeting the target of 30 lakh litres a day by 2030.Officials of the Animal Husbandry Department say the large-scale implementation of ‘Gokulam’ sheds under the MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) is yielding positive results, with a spike in milk production from less than 15 lakh litres a day a couple of years ago to 20 lakh litres a day currently.District Collector Sumit Kumar said the prime focus is on livestock welfare by providing the infrastructure support.The Collector said the government reintroduced the Gokulam sheds initiative, initially launched six years ago, to provide shelters to cattle and protect them from the elements.Currently, of the 2,173 Gokulam sheds sanctioned for Chittoor district, works are under way for 2,094. The unique scheme has financial backing from MGNREGA, with a 90% subsidy for eligible dairy farmers, with priority to the beneficiaries from the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), small and marginal farmers.Beneficiaries could avail of varying financial assistance based on their landholding, and the assistance would range from ₹6,599 for 10 cents to ₹32,992 for 50 cents. “Aspirants of Gokulam sheds have to submit their job card, Aadhaar, bank passbook, ration card and land records,” the Collector said.
The dairy farmers are happy with the outcome of the Gokulam scheme. “Sheltered from the elements, the cattle are protected from several kinds of diseases, heat and rain. I was sanctioned ₹1.95 lakh for a shed, and I built a 22×15 ft. structure at home,” said T. Anjappa of Naniyala of Kuppam assembly constituency.T. Anji, a farmer from Ramakuppam mandal, said: “After the construction of the Gokulam shed and sheltering my cattle, milk production has increased considerably. Now, I supply about 20 liters of milk daily to the local dairy farms.”
