Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday announced that the farmers will now receive an additional ₹3 for every litre of milk supplied to the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation.

Majhi was attending an event organised to mark World Milk Day in Bhubaneswar. “The decision is expected to benefit around 2.5 lakh dairy farmers across the state, providing them with better returns for their effort,” the chief minister said.

Accordingly, the price of milk will be increased by ₹4 per litre, of which the government will bear ₹2 per litre and the consumer will have to pay an additional ₹2 per litre. This measure aims to lessen the burden on the consumers, an official said.

Majhi said the state produced around 26.4 lakh metric tonnes of milk during the financial year 2023-24.

The per capita availability of milk at the national level was 471 grams while it was 156 grams in Odisha, he said.

“We have to enhance our milk production to come at par with the national average or surpass it... We are making all efforts to double the milk production in the next five years,” the chief minister said.

The chief minister also declared an accidental death benefit of ₹1 lakh to the families of the farmers attached to the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation.

Stating that his government focuses on the welfare of farmers, Majhi said gopalaks (cattle-rearers) can get subsidies and financial assistance up to 70 per cent through the Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Yojana.

A target has been set to include 15 lakh gopalaks under the scheme, he said.

In the last financial year 2024-25, about 3 lakh beneficiaries have benefited from the scheme with a grant of ₹71 crore, the chief minister said.

“We have a budget of ₹186 crore under the Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Yojana. Under this scheme, registered goshalas (cow shelters) are provided ₹20,000 per animal for care and maintenance in two instalments. We had given ₹9 crore to 68 goshalas in 2024, and today, we are releasing another ₹10.5 crore. It will benefit around 22,000 stray and helpless cattle across the state,” Majhi said.

With inputs from PTI