Raipur . The State-Level Steering Committee meeting of the State Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited (CGCDF) concluded on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Vikassheel. The main objectives of the meeting were to ensure the overall development of the dairy sector in the state, increase the income of milk producers, increase the participation of women milk producers, and strengthen the milk collection and marketing infrastructure.

Special focus on Bastar and Surguja divisions
: A large number of rural and Scheduled Tribe families are involved in animal husbandry in the seven districts of Bastar division. Approximately 88% of the cows in the region are of local breeds. To increase milk productivity, emphasis is being placed on animal nutrition, animal health, breed improvement, and scientific management.

With the support of NDDB, chilling centers have been commissioned in Jashpur (2,000 liter capacity) and Balrampur (5,000 liter capacity) in Surguja division since June 2025. Currently, approximately 3,500 liters of milk is collected daily through 45 milk collection centers, with over 1,500 women producers. Under

the Direct Payment and Transparent System Project, the bills of milk producers are being paid directly into their bank accounts, due to which women are getting regular income and the rural economy is getting strengthened. In the meeting, the action report of previous meetings, human resource challenges, physical-financial progress and Dairy Comprehensive Development Plan were reviewed. On this occasion, Principal Secretary of Scheduled Tribe Development Department Sonmani Bora, Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department Siddharth Komal Pardeshi, Secretary of Finance and Public Relations Department Dr. Rohit Yadav, along with Commissioner Cooperation Ramesh Kumar Sharma, officials of State Cooperative Milk Federation and other senior officials of Cooperative Department and other members of the Federation were present.