New Delhi
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala formally launched the NDDB Mrida Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary company of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), here on July 25 to carry forward manure management initiatives across the nation.
Expressing his delight on the occasion, Rupala lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his call to double the farmers’ income. “He made several initiatives in this regard. So, the goal was to ensure that agriculture and allied sector move forward together,” he added.
Rupala thanked NDDB and its Chairman Meenesh Shah for initiating a step in a new direction at an appropriate time. He also lauded Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) on the occasion.
According to Rupala, it was Chaturvedi’s idea that several subsidiary companies were working under the NDDB on various subjects. He also remembered former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, stating that the beginning of NDDB was made to establish the Amul model in the country. “The NDDB has not only done tremendous work in the country but … also established its foot abroad … So, this is an asset,” he said.
With the approval of the Central Government, NDDB established NDDB Mrida Ltd, an unlisted public limited company under the Companies Act, 2013, on 1 July 2022 with a paid-up capital of Rs 9.50 crore.
Rupala said that NDDB Mrida would open avenues of additional income to dairy farmers from the sale of slurry/dung. Efforts are being made for better utilization of bovine dung but most are individual initiatives. However, this new company will provide structured impetus to manure management efforts.
Also, promoting the usage of dung-based manure will gradually lead to the replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic manure, thereby reducing dependency on India’s dependency on imports, the Union Minister further said.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr Sanjiv Kumar Balyan said that this was a first-of-its-kind company focusing on the efficient utilization of dung by creating a manure management value chain which would immensely contribute to enhancing the livelihoods of dairy farmers, at the same time contributing towards the Swachh Bharat Mission and the promotion of green energy.
“I am happy that NDDB, which was earlier in Gujarat, has now moved out and is taking steps to establish cooperatives across the country,” Dr Balyan added. On this occasion, he also launched a brochure on NDDB Mrida.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr L Murugan handed over NDDB’s SuDhan trademark to CMD, NDDB Mrida. He congratulated the NDDB for coming forward and taking an innovative initiative to ensure that cow dung is used as wealth. He also threw light on Prime Minister Modi’s vision of waste to wealth.
Dr Murugan said the manure management initiatives had the potential to generate biogas equivalent to 50 per cent of India’s present LPG consumption and also produce bio-slurry equivalent to 44 per cent of India’s NPK requirement.
NDDB Chairman Shah said Mrida would take up the setting up of manure value chain, biogas-based CNG generation, and biogas-based energy generation for dairy plants. He added that the company would explore opportunities to efficiently use cattle dung as an ingredient for various applications in different industries and as a replacement for traditional wood, clay, paint, etc.