Chief Minister transfers Rs 68.51 crore directly into bank accounts of 1,06,063 dairy farmers through 5,832 Dairy Cooperative Societies
Target to establish a Dairy Cooperative Society in every village and collect 50 lakh litres of milk daily in 2026-27
SUDHA brand to be developed as a national and international brand; expansion plans include Assam and other states
Chief Minister inaugurates SUDHA cafeteria and vegetable outlet at Jaivik Udyan in Patna, along with Fresh Catch Kiosk and SUDHA Parlour at Meethapur
Agriculture and animal husbandry play a crucial role in Bihar's economy; government aims to make villages, farmers, livestock rearers, women and youth partners in the state's development
Patna, November 2026: Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at COMFED in Patna by unveiling its plaque. Thereafter, he transferred Rs 68,51,27,060 (Rs 68.51 crore) directly into the bank accounts of 1,06,063 beneficiaries through 5,832 Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS) under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. He also inaugurated the newly established call centre, ‘SUDHA Sampark’.
The payment was made against the supply of 1,46,66,061 litres of milk. The initiative is aimed at economically empowering livestock rearers and dairy farmers.
During the programme, Secretary of the Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department, Shishir Kapil Ashok, gave a detailed presentation on the activities being undertaken under COMFED. He said efforts were also underway to expand SUDHA beyond Bihar.
A unit with a capacity of 20,000 litres per day has already started operations in Tezpur, Assam. Plans are underway to establish another unit with a capacity of 50,000 litres per day in Assam and a 10,000-litre-per-day unit in Kolkata.
The government aims to establish a Dairy Cooperative Society in every village of the state. Between April and September 2026, 4,804 new societies were formed, taking the total number of active societies in Bihar to 33,897.
At present, approximately 23.90 lakh kilograms of milk are collected daily in the state. The target is to increase this to 50 lakh litres per day in the financial year 2026-27.
An Integrated Command and Control Centre has been established for real-time monitoring of milk collection and transportation systems. A toll-free ‘SUDHA Sampark’ call centre is also operational at 18003456199 to provide prompt solutions to the problems faced by livestock rearers.
The government aims to train 3,200 ‘SUDHA Sakhis’. With the support of Jeevika, ‘Jeevika-SUDHA Sales Centres’ will be established across all 8,053 panchayats in the state by March 31, 2027. Women are also being encouraged to operate veterinary medicine sales centres.
To improve livestock breeds, nutrition and milk production capacity, several initiatives are being undertaken under the National Gokul Mission. These include the use of sex-sorted semen, establishment of a calf-rearing centre in Dumraon, a semen station in Munger and 12 Total Mixed Ration (TMR) plants.
Government committed to taking Bihar's dairy, vegetable and fish products to wider markets: CM
Addressing the programme, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said agriculture and animal husbandry played an important role in Bihar's economy. The state government was committed to increasing the incomes of farmers and livestock rearers, providing them with modern facilities and ensuring better markets for their products.
He said the government aimed to take Bihar's milk, vegetables and fish to national and international markets.
Ensuring that dairy farmers received payments directly into their bank accounts in a transparent manner, without the involvement of middlemen, was an important step in this direction. Digital systems were being promoted to safeguard the interests of dairy farmers, he added.
The Chief Minister said farmers would be provided with unique Farmer IDs. This would enable digital monitoring of milk quality, fat and SNF (Solid-Not-Fat) content, as well as payments.
He said SUDHA, which had already become a recognised brand in Bihar, would establish its identity not only nationally but also internationally. The government's objective was to develop SUDHA into an international brand by strengthening milk processing, product quality, modern technology and marketing systems.
Emphasising women's empowerment, Choudhary said women's participation in animal husbandry and dairy production was being increased.
SUDHA outlets and Fresh Catch Kiosk inaugurated
The Chief Minister inaugurated a SUDHA cafeteria and vegetable outlet at Gate No. 2 of Jaivik Udyan in Patna and took information about the facilities available there.
He subsequently inaugurated a Fresh Catch Kiosk and a SUDHA Parlour at Meethapur's Meen Bhawan. He inspected the facilities and was shown the varieties of fresh fish available at the outlet.
Choudhary also flagged off a Fresh Catch vehicle from Buxar to Siliguri. Discussing the development of the fisheries sector, he said 100 ‘Fresh Catch Kiosks’ would be established across Bihar.
Through these outlets, fresh fish from Bihar would be marketed under the brand name ‘Fresh Catch (Fish of Bihar)’. This would increase the income of fish farmers while ensuring quality products for consumers, he said.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government's resolve was to make villages, farmers, livestock rearers, women and youth active partners in Bihar's development. By promoting dairy production, fisheries, cooperatives and rural entrepreneurship, Bihar aims to become economically prosperous and self-reliant.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Minister Nand Kishore Ram, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Chief Minister's Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, Cooperation Department Secretary Dharmendra Singh, Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department Secretary Shishir Kapil Ashok, District Magistrate Kundan Kumar, Director of Fisheries Tushar Singla, Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya K. Sharma and other officials and dignitaries were present at the programme.
