Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board (PLDDB) has shown interest in taking over Livestock and Dairy Development Board (LDDB)'s "Milk Collection, Processing and Dairy Production and Development Programme, which is being run under the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture but will be devolved under the 18th amendment.
Sources in the newly formed PLDDB, a company established in Punjab under Section 42 of Companies Ordinance 1984 said it is undertaking different projects for the development of livestock sector including "Cow to Consumer Programme". Through this programme, PLDDB will provide services and support to the milk producers for the enhancement of quality and quantity of milk, whereas on the other hand this organisation will be facilitating in marketing of pure hygienic milk to the consumers at affordable price.
Sources said that the PLDDB had drew the attention of the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Department that the Livestock & Dairy Development Board (Federal) had established 60 Milk Producers Groups (MPGs) in Punjab under its Project "Milk Collection, Processing and Dairy Production and Development Programme, which were provided with Milk Cooling Tanks of 1000 liter capacity each. These MPGs are collecting milk from their 9000 regular and contributory members who are small and landless farmers. Under the 18th amendment in the Constitution, the Federal Ministry of Livestock & Dairy Development has been devolved and its functions/projects are being transferred to the respective provinces. PLDDB observed that the federal government had invested billion of rupees in this project and if left in the middle, all the inputs in shape of financial and human resources would be wasted.
As PLDDB is already undertaking a project related to strengthening of forward and backward linkages for supply of good quality milk. It will be quite appropriate if the whole set up of "Milk Collection, Processing and Dairy Production and Development Programme" in Punjab is transferred to PLDDB, which is ready to take over the whole component of Punjab (without liabilities if any) along with its existing employees presently based in Punjab, the sources claimed. Experts in the PLDDB believe that this would bring sustainability and would definitely yield good results.
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