Patna: During his Bhagalpur visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the efforts of Union Animal Husbandry Minister and Munger MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh for his role in boosting the dairy sector and implementing key projects in Bihar.
PM Modi emphasised the importance of animal husbandry in increasing the income of landless and small farmers.
He highlighted that through dairy and livestock farming, 1.25 crore village women have become “Lakhpati Didis,” including thousands of Jeevika Didis from Bihar.
“Today, India has become the world’s number one milk producer. In the last decade, milk production has increased from 14 crore tonnes to 24 crore tonnes. Bihar has played a major role in this achievement,” PM Modi stated.
The Cooperative Milk Union in Bihar now purchases 30 lakh litres of milk daily, and over Rs 3,000 crore is directly reaching the accounts of dairy farmers annually.
PM Modi commended Lalan Singh for his contribution to the dairy sector, highlighting two key projects in Bihar including the Centre of Excellence in Motihari – aimed at breeding high-quality cows to boost dairy productivity and milk plant in Barauni – expected to benefit three lakh people in the region.
“Due to the hard work of Lalan Singh, India’s dairy sector is progressing rapidly, and Bihar is a key contributor to this success,” the PM said.
PM Modi also addressed the fishermen community, criticising previous governments for ignoring their welfare.
He highlighted that under the NDA government, fishermen now have access to Kisan Credit Cards, which has significantly helped Bihar’s fishing industry.
Reiterating Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s statement, PM Modi said Bihar has now become self-reliant in fish production.
“In 2013, when I visited Bihar for elections, I was surprised that despite having abundant water resources, fish production was low. Today, Bihar is among the top five fish-producing states in India, marking a major transformation,” he said.
He also praised the Namami Gange campaign, highlighting its success in cleaning the Ganges River, which has helped protect Gangetic dolphins—a key identity of Bhagalpur.
(IANS)
