Amit Shah performs Bhoomi Pujan for ₹700-crore dairy project; plant to process 30 lakh litres of milk daily, boost farmer incomes and strengthen White Revolution 2.0
TFP Bureau, Kolkata, July 19,2026: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Sunday performed the Bhoomi Pujan for the world’s largest curd manufacturing plant under the Amul Bengal Dairy Project, describing it as a major step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” and White Revolution 2.0. The project, coming up at the Howrah Food Park with an investment of around ₹700 crore, is expected to transform West Bengal’s dairy sector while significantly improving the livelihoods of milk producers.
The ceremony was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, senior ministers, officials, representatives of the cooperative sector and Amul leadership.
Addressing the gathering, Shah said the project marks the beginning of a new era for the state’s dairy industry and reflects the government’s commitment to building a prosperous, secure, educated and culturally vibrant “Sonar Bangla.” He said the dairy project would strengthen the cooperative movement while ensuring better returns for lakhs of livestock rearers.
In its first phase, the plant will process 10 lakh litres of milk every day, directly benefiting nearly 1.20 lakh milk-producing livestock rearers. Once fully operational, the facility will have the capacity to process 30 lakh litres of milk daily, making it the world’s largest curd manufacturing plant.
The project will produce nearly 1,000 metric tonnes (10 lakh kilograms) of curd and other cultured dairy products every day. It will also manufacture packaged milk, UHT milk, ice cream, paneer, ghee, sweets and flavoured milk, creating one of India’s largest integrated dairy processing facilities.
Shah credited the state government for making the project possible by allotting 30 acres of land free of cost to Amul. He said the decision would attract major investments and help ensure better and more transparent prices for milk supplied by farmers across the state.
He expressed confidence that the famous Bengali “mishti doi” produced at the facility would soon reach households across the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, giving national recognition to Bengal’s dairy products.
Highlighting the strength of the cooperative model, Shah said Amul has emerged as the world’s leading cooperative institution with more than 36 lakh women members and over 18,600 dairy cooperative societies. He noted that nearly 87 paise of every rupee spent on Amul products is directly transferred to the bank accounts of milk producers, ensuring that farmers receive the maximum share of the value generated.
The Union Minister also announced that the Centre would establish an advanced animal breed improvement programme in West Bengal, including a Sex-Sorted Semen facility to improve dairy productivity. He said the initiative would help farmers rear higher-yielding cattle capable of producing at least 25 per cent more milk.
Shah further announced that more than 70 farmer welfare schemes under the Ministry of Cooperation would be implemented across West Bengal within the next six months through close coordination between the Centre and the state government.
In another major initiative, he said an MoU had been signed to integrate West Bengal’s taxis with the Bharat Taxi platform under the “Sarathi” concept. The model aims to transform drivers into owners and shareholders, allowing them to receive a share of the company’s profits while improving their financial security.
The Union Minister also inaugurated cooperative warehouses with a combined storage capacity of 1,400 metric tonnes and laid the foundation stone for 10 additional warehouses to strengthen agricultural storage infrastructure and reduce distress sales by farmers.
Observing that West Bengal possesses fertile land and abundant water resources, Shah said the state has enormous potential to become a leading dairy producer. He expressed confidence that over the next 15 years, every livestock-rearing family in the state would own at least two high-yielding milch animals, creating sustainable rural incomes and ushering in a new White Revolution.
Officials said the Amul Bengal Dairy Project will modernise dairy processing, strengthen cold-chain infrastructure, expand marketing networks and generate substantial employment opportunities. The project is expected to significantly boost rural incomes, strengthen dairy cooperatives and establish West Bengal as a major dairy processing hub in eastern India.
