TN Minister Announces Rs 2 Crore Upgrade for Ambattur Dairy, Multiple Milk Schemes

Dairy Development Minister C Vijayalakshmi on Wednesday announced a series of infrastructure upgrades and welfare schemes in the Assembly, including a Rs 2 crore modernisation plan for the Ambattur milk dairy in Chennai. The Ambattur facility, which supplies 4.5 lakh litres of sachet milk to Chennai consumers, will be upgraded with the installation of a new homogeniser to improve milk quality.

Replying to the demand for grants for the dairy development ministry, Vijayalakshmi announced that Aavin business franchises will be opened at all government medical college hospitals to supply pure and nutritious milk to patients. To prevent corrupt practices and ensure transparency across operations, the state will implement end-to-end automation in milk procurement.

To boost milk production and support cattle health, the minister announced a Rs 10 crore programme to lower the age of reproduction of Jersey cows and support the physical growth of calves. Under this scheme, Jersey calves will receive balanced fodder, mineral salts, and medicines to remove intestinal worms. A separate Rs 10 crore initiative will address fertility issues in non-Jersey breeds, diagnosing defects and supplying nutritious feed to improve livelihood outcomes and curb economic losses for farmers.

Addressing storage infrastructure, the minister said Rs 25 crore will be allocated to install 60 bulk milk coolers and construct 40 buildings with cooling facilities. The rural bulk coolers, with capacities ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 litres, are intended to help local producers transport milk quickly while preserving safety, nutrients, and quality, thereby reducing transit expenses and boosting earnings.

To tackle operational challenges during power cuts, generator sets will be provided to 100 milk coolers. Furthermore, 84 milk storage centres will be equipped with adulteration detectors to protect consumers, and existing quality testing laboratories in Erode and Tiruvannamalai will be modernised with additional equipment.

The minister also announced that 25 metric tonnes of grass seeds will be distributed to 5,000 milk producers to encourage fodder cultivation. The move is designed to lower feeding costs, enhance cattle health, and raise milk yields and incomes for producers.