Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated a newly constructed Bio-CNG and fertilizer plant set up by Banas Dairy in the Vav-Tharad district of Gujarat. He also laid the foundation stone for a 150-ton milk powder plant. Several senior leaders, including Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary and Union Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar and Murlidhar Mohol, were present.
Speaking at the event, Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set ambitious goals under White Revolution 2.0, backed by schemes such as the National Gokul Mission, the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund, the revamped National Dairy Plan and the National Animal Disease Control Programme. He expressed confidence that these initiatives would significantly strengthen India’s dairy sector.
Shah highlighted the rise of Banas Dairy, noting that its turnover has reached ₹24,000 crore. He credited the women workers of Banaskantha for their role in milk collection and said that the cooperative model has directly contributed to improving rural livelihoods.
He also said that around 250 dairy chairpersons and managing directors from across the country are expected to visit Banaskantha in January to study the cooperative’s model.
The Minister recalled the transformation of Banaskantha after irrigation projects such as the Sujalam-Sufalam initiative brought water from the Narmada and Mahi rivers to the region. He said farmers who once grew a single crop now cultivate up to three crops annually. Shah added that two universities have been tasked with documenting the district’s water conservation success to serve as a national model.
Shah said Banas Dairy’s Bio-CNG initiative will serve as a model for cooperatives nationwide. He emphasised adopting a circular economy approach, where cow and buffalo dung is used to produce organic manure, biogas and electricity, thereby increasing farmers’ income.
He announced that cooperative dairies will now also produce animal feed instead of buying it from the open market, allowing profits to flow directly to farmers. Shah added that he has shared a list of high-value dairy products with Amul, encouraging their production to tap global markets.
The Minister said the Centre has established three new national-level cooperatives for seeds, organic products and agricultural exports, in addition to three multi-state dairy cooperatives. These bodies, he said, will cover a wide range of activities—from cheese and baby food production to edible oil packaging and cold storage.
Shah assured that farmers’ incomes would rise by at least 20 per cent through the circular economy model, even without increasing milk output. Banas Dairy, he said, will serve as the hub for implementing this national strategy.
Shah said micro-ATMs have been installed in every village milk cooperative, with plans to expand financial services through them. He reiterated that the Centre is committed to meeting the targets set under White Revolution 2.0 and that Gujarat’s cooperative model will play a key role.
Shah also paid tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on his Mahaparinirvan Diwas and acknowledged Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s role in shaping India’s cooperative movement.
