Shillong, July 8: Meghalaya is falling behind in development of the dairy sector with physical progress of projects lagging and funds earmarked remaining unspent.

Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurien on Monday reviewed some of the projects in the dairy sector in Meghalaya under the National Programme for Dairy Development.

According to reports, the state is yet to fully utilise Rs. 2.71 crore for funds approved in 2022-23.   This fund was approved for seven districts of the state which includes: South Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, East Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, East Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills, and South West Khasi Hills.

The total approval for the projects was Rs. 18.27 crore, out of which Rs. 8.59 crore was released by the centre, but out of this amount Rs. 2.71 crore still remained unspent.

Some of the targets under the project, which the state is miserably lagging at, are the formation of the targeted 103 dairy cooperative society. The state has managed to form just 21 so far.

The project has a target of having 1940 milk producer members, but the state has managed just 735. The target to have bulk milk coolers is 153, but the state has achieved just 61.

Under the project it was targeted to have 123 automatic milk collection units, but the state has managed to have just 41 so far. Moreover, the state should have had 105 electronic milk adulteration testing machines, which the state has only 3 so far.

Below is the table to show Meghalaya’s progress against the targets:

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