Why in the News?

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah recently launched the standard operating procedure for White Revolution 2.0.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About White Revolution (History, Purpose, Achievements, Impact, etc.)
• News Summary (White Revolution 2.0, Objectives, Pathway, etc.)

White Revolution:

• The White Revolution, also known as Operation Flood, was a landmark initiative that transformed India from a milk-deficient nation into the world’s largest milk producer.
• Spearheaded by Verghese Kurien, the “Father of the White Revolution,” this movement played a pivotal role in enhancing dairy farming and milk production in India, significantly improving the socio-economic conditions of rural dairy farmers.

Background & Initiation of the Revolution:

• The White Revolution began in 1970 with the launch of Operation Flood by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
• Funded initially through the sale of surplus dairy commodities donated by the European Economic Community, the program aimed to create a nationwide milk grid, increase milk production, and provide fair prices to farmers.
• Key Objectives of the White Revolution:
  • Increase Milk Production: Boosting India’s milk output to make the country self-sufficient.
  • Establish Dairy Cooperatives: Organizing farmers into cooperatives to eliminate middlemen and ensure fair returns for milk producers.
  • Provide Access to Markets: Creating a reliable supply chain to connect rural milk producers directly with urban markets.

Achievements & Impact:

• World’s Largest Milk Producer: India’s milk production increased from 21 million tonnes in the 1970s to over 220 million tonnes in 2022-23, making it the largest milk producer globally.
• Rural Empowerment: The initiative empowered millions of rural families, providing them with a steady income and improving their livelihoods.
• Nutritional Benefits: Enhanced access to milk improved nutritional standards in India, contributing to better public health outcomes.
• Cooperative Movement and Amul’s Role:
  • The cooperative model, pioneered by Amul under Dr. Kurien, became a cornerstone of the White Revolution.
  • Amul’s success in Gujarat was replicated nationwide, inspiring the creation of numerous dairy cooperatives that collectively brought about a milk revolution.
• Current Status and Challenges:
  • Production Growth: As of 2023, India accounts for approximately 23% of global milk production, with an annual growth rate of around 6.2%.
  • Challenges: Despite its success, the sector faces challenges such as:
    • fluctuating milk prices,
    • climate change impacts, and
    • the need for modernization in dairy farming practices.

White Revolution 2.0:

• Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah recently launched the standard operating procedure for White Revolution 2.0, a renewed effort to boost the dairy sector in India.
• Key Objectives of White Revolution 2.0:
  • Empower Women: The initiative seeks to include women involved in milk procurement into formal employment by depositing earnings directly into their bank accounts. This approach aims to provide financial independence to women and formally recognize their contributions.
  • Increase Milk Procurement: The program targets an increase in milk procurement by cooperatives from the current 660 lakh liters per day to 1,000 lakh liters.
• Women's Role in the Dairy Sector:
  • Amit Shah emphasized the crucial role of women in the dairy industry, particularly in cooperative dairies.
  • In Gujarat alone, 36 lakh women are involved in dairy activities, contributing to a business worth ₹60,000 crore annually.
  • The initiative aims to replicate such success nationwide, strengthening cooperative institutions at the panchayat, tehsil, and district levels.
• Addressing Malnutrition:
  • One of the significant benefits of White Revolution 2.0 is its potential impact on malnutrition.
  • Amit Shah highlighted that increasing milk availability would primarily benefit poor and malnourished children.
  • He stressed that efforts by women, especially mothers, are key to combating child malnutrition, more so than government interventions.
• Strengthening Cooperative Institutions:
  • Amit Shah pointed out that the cooperative sector had not received necessary reforms in the past 70 years, leading to uneven success across states.
  • To address this, the government has prepared a proposal for two lakh Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS), dairy, and fishery cooperatives, which has been accepted by all states.
  • The initiative aims to ensure that every panchayat in the country will have a PACS, dairy, or fishery cooperative society, thereby expanding the reach of cooperatives nationwide.
• Financial Support and Cooperative Integration:
  • The government has assured full budgetary support for White Revolution 2.0, recognizing it as a priority area.
  • An important initiative under this program is "Cooperation among Cooperatives," tested successfully in Gujarat's Panchmahal and Banaskantha Key actions included:
    • Opening bank accounts for cooperative sector institutions in cooperative banks.
    • Issuing debit and credit cards to women involved in the Primary Cooperative Society and Milk Producers Committee, strengthening their financial position.
    • Establishing micro-ATMs and promoting digital transactions, enhancing the financial inclusion of women in rural areas.
  • National Expansion of Cooperative Banking:
    • Following successful experiments in Gujarat, where over 9 lakh accounts were opened and deposits increased by ₹4,000 crore in cooperative banks, the initiative will now be scaled up nationwide.
    • More than 2,600 micro-ATMs have already been distributed, and similar measures will be implemented across India to empower women financially.

Conclusion

• White Revolution 2.0 is a significant step towards empowering women, strengthening cooperatives, and addressing malnutrition in India.
• By integrating women into formal employment, enhancing milk procurement, and providing financial support, the initiative aims to transform the dairy sector and contribute to the broader socio-economic development of rural India.