Government Programmes on Milk & Nutrition in India

India stands as the largest producer of milk globally, contributing nearly 25% to world milk production. The government links livestock development with social welfare to address malnutrition, stunting, and anemia across rural and urban populations. Through dual interventions—boosting dairy yield and integrating milk into public nutrition frameworks—India addresses food security and rural livelihood needs simultaneously.

Production and Dairy Infrastructure Schemes

Rashtriya Gokul Mission

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying launched the Rashtriya Gokul Mission in December 2014 under the National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development. It focuses on conserving and developing indigenous bovine breeds, improving genetic makeup, and increasing milk productivity. Key interventions under the mission include:

• Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme: Expands artificial insemination coverage in low-coverage districts using high genetic merit bulls.
• Sex-Sorted Semen Production: Establishes specialized semen sexing facilities to increase the proportion of female calves and reduce stray cattle burdens.
• MAITRIs (Multi-purpose AI Technicians in Rural India): Trains rural youth to deliver artificial insemination services directly at farmers’ doorsteps.
• Gokul Grams: Sets up integrated indigenous cattle centers in native breeding tracts to act as resource centers for elite indigenous stock.

National Programme for Dairy Development

The National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) was launched in February 2014 and restructured in 2021. It aims to create cold chain infrastructure, strengthen village-level milk procurement networks, and build processing units. NPDD operates via two main components:

• Component A: Focuses on creating organized milk collection infrastructure, cold chains, electronic milk testing equipment, and primary dairy cooperative societies, especially in remote regions.
• Component B (Dairying through Cooperatives): Assisted by external agencies like the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), this component modernizes processing facilities and expands market access in selected states.

Infrastructure Development Funds

• Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF): Instituted in 2017-18 to provide interest subvention on loans to cooperative milk unions, state dairy federations, and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) subsidiaries for modernizing milk processing plants.
• Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF): A scheme under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan with an allocation of ₹15,000 crore that offers interest subvention to private enterprises, MSMEs, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) setting up dairy processing and value-addition infrastructure.

Nutrition and Food Security Frameworks

Saksham Anganwadi and Mission Poshan 2.0

Mission Poshan 2.0 functions under the Ministry of Women and Child Development as an umbrella nutrition support program. It merges the Supplementary Nutrition Programme under Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls. The mission targets children under six years, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls in aspirational districts. Key mechanisms include:

• Poshan Tracker: A real-time digital monitoring platform that uses biometric and facial recognition tools to track the distribution of Take-Home Ration (THR) and Hot Cooked Meals.
• Micronutrient Fortification: Focuses on delivering fortified foods, including milk fortified with Vitamin A and Vitamin D, through Anganwadi centers to combat silent hunger.

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN)

PM-POSHAN replaced the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in 2021 to provide one hot cooked meal per school day to children studying in classes I to VIII in government and government-aided schools. Several state governments utilize the PM-POSHAN framework to distribute fresh or reconstituted milk to students, boosting daily protein and calcium intake.

State-Level Milk Nutrition Initiatives

Regulatory and Quality Standards for Fortified Milk

FSSAI Fortification Standards

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) framed the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations in 2018. Under these regulations, liquid milk processing units fortify milk with specific doses of essential micronutrients:

• Vitamin A Addition: 270 µg RE to 450 µg RE per liter of milk.
• Vitamin D Addition: 5 µg to 7.5 µg per liter of milk.
• +F Logo: Standardized fortification logo printed on milk pouches to verify compliance with national fortification standards.

Key Facts for Quick Revision

• India contributes nearly 25% of global milk production, holding the top position worldwide.
• The Rashtriya Gokul Mission was launched in December 2014 for conserving and developing indigenous bovine breeds.
• National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) operates under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) carries an allocation of ₹15,000 crore under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• Mission Poshan 2.0 unifies Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• PM-POSHAN replaced the national Mid-Day Meal Scheme in September 2021.
• Karnataka launched the Ksheera Bhagya Scheme in 2013 to supply fresh milk to school children and Anganwadi centers.
• Haryana implements the Mukhya Mantri Dudh Uphaar Yojana, offering 200 ml of fortified skimmed milk to children and mothers.
• FSSAI regulations mandate fortifying liquid milk with Vitamin A and Vitamin D, identified by the “+F” logo.
• Poshan Tracker uses digital monitoring and facial recognition tools to track nutrition delivery across Anganwadi centers.