Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday launched the ‘Doodh Protsahan Yojana’ and freight subsidy scheme from Arki Assembly constituency in Solan district.
In a function held at Darlaghat, the Chief Minister distributed Rs 1.45 crore via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 8,000 livestock farmers associated with two private milk cooperatives, Gau Amrit Samiti, Paplota Samiti, and Amrit Dhara Samiti of Darlaghat in Solan district, and Kamdhenu Samiti and Kehlur Doosh Samiti of Bilaspur district, for July and August.
Additionally, these milk cooperatives were provided Rs. 1.59 crore as transport subsidy at Rs 3 per litre, up from Rs 1.50 per litre earlier. Through these initiatives, farmers are expected to gain a financial benefit of Rs 18.24 crore per year.
The Chief Minister also distributed Rs 28.80 lakh to eight self-help groups in Arki Assembly constituency under the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana and Rs 34.20 lakh to 10 progressive milk producers of Kamdhenu Hitkari Manch, Namhol. He also launched a mobile app for the convenience of truck operators.
He said the state government was making special efforts to strengthen the rural economy and highlighted that Himachal Pradesh is the first state in the country where cow milk is purchased at Rs 51 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs 61 per litre through the Himachal Pradesh Milk Federation.
He described the day as historic for the state’s livestock farmers, as the Doodh Protsahan Yojana and freight subsidy schemes had been officially launched.
Under the Doodh Protsahan Yojana, farmers registered with private milk cooperatives and selling milk to them will receive an incentive of Rs 3 per litre, which would be directly credited to their bank accounts via DBT. Farmers will also receive an instant SMS notification for which a special portal has been developed through HP NIC.
Sukhu said the freight subsidy for milk collected by private cooperatives had been increased from Rs 1.50 per litre to Rs 3 per litre, benefiting thousands of farmers. Milk processing facilities were being expanded through MilkFed. To provide maximum selling opportunities, a campaign to form milk cooperative societies was launched in June 2025, and 320 milk cooperatives have been established so far.
He said the government aims to form a milk cooperative in every gram panchayat with significant milk availability.
MLA Sanjay Awasthi said under the CM’s leadership, many initiatives had been taken to strengthen the rural economy. Farmers are also getting minimum support prices for naturally grown maize, wheat, barley, and raw turmeric.
Forest Division, Kunihar contributed Rs 1 lakh, while retired DSP Shakuntala Sharma donated Rs 51,000 towards the Disaster Relief Fund to the Chief Minister on this occasion.
Health Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Agriculture Minister Chaudhary Chandra Kumar, MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary, Jogindra Bank Chairman Mukesh Sharma, MilkFed Chairman Budhi Singh Thakur, Wool Federation Chairman Manoj Thakur, former MLA Bambar Thakur were also present on this occasion.
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