NE NEWS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MAY 17
In the dusty villages of Gujarat where women once quietly managed cattle sheds behind their homes, a silent economic revolution is now unfolding — powered by milk, technology and the cooperative movement envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
बीते साढ़े पाँच दशकों से सहकारिता की शक्ति को धरातल पर उतारने वाली मधुर डेयरी प्रतिदिन 2.5 लाख लीटर से अधिक दुग्ध संकलन कर देश की सहकारी डेयरियों के लिए एक आदर्श बन रही है।
આજે ₹128 કરોડના ખર્ચે નિર્મિત નવા પ્લાન્ટનું ઉદ્ઘાટન થયું, જેનાથી મધુર ડેરીની દૂધ સંકલન ક્ષમતા વધીને… pic.twitter.com/0MxM16wAqU
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 17, 2026
That transformation received a major boost on Saturday when Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the state-of-the-art automated milk processing and packaging plant of Madhur Dairy Unit-2 at Dashela in Gandhinagar district.
- Amit Shah inaugurates ₹128-crore Madhur Dairy Unit-2 in Gujarat under PM Modi’s “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” vision
- New automated dairy plant to double milk processing capacity to 5 lakh litres per day, boosting farmer incomes
- Over 36 lakh women linked to cooperative dairies are generating nearly ₹200 crore business daily
- “White Revolution 2.0” aims to triple India’s milk production in the next decade under PM Modi’s leadership
- Amul’s AI-powered assistant “Sarlaben” to digitally empower rural women and livestock farmers
But beyond the modern machinery, stainless steel processing units and digital infrastructure, the project tells a deeper human story — one of rural mothers becoming entrepreneurs, village households turning financially self-reliant and India’s cooperative model evolving into a nationwide engine of empowerment.
“This Is Not Just a Dairy Plant”
Addressing a large gathering during the inauguration, Amit Shah described the new Madhur Dairy facility as more than merely an industrial project.
“This is a movement of economic dignity for lakhs of milk-producing families,” he said.
Built over 15 acres at a cost of nearly ₹128 crore, the modern dairy plant currently has the capacity to process 2.5 lakh litres of milk daily, with plans to expand it to 5 lakh litres per day in the future.
Officials said the increased processing capacity is expected to directly benefit rural dairy farmers by improving procurement, strengthening value addition and ensuring better earnings.
Women Become the Face of Rural Prosperity
Perhaps the most striking aspect of India’s cooperative dairy movement today is the central role played by women.
According to Amit Shah, nearly 36 lakh women associated with cooperative dairy societies are collectively handling around 3 crore litres of milk every day, generating business worth nearly ₹200 crore daily.
For thousands of rural women, dairy farming has evolved from a supplementary household activity into a stable source of financial independence.
“In earlier generations, women were limited largely to domestic responsibilities. Today they are becoming the financial backbone of families through dairy cooperatives,” Shah observed.
The scene at the event itself reflected this transformation, with women milk producers proudly presenting Madhur Dairy products and interacting confidently with senior government leaders.
Modi Government Pushes “White Revolution 2.0”
The launch of the dairy unit also highlighted the Centre’s ambitious “White Revolution 2.0” initiative under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The government aims to triple India’s milk production over the next ten years by combining cooperative networks with modern infrastructure, technology and value-added dairy products.
Officials said leading cooperative brands such as Amul, Banas Dairy and Mehsana Dairy are increasingly investing in advanced nutrition products including protein drinks, probiotic curd and high-protein dairy beverages.
Unlike private corporate structures, the cooperative framework ensures profits flow back directly to livestock farmers and milk producers.
AI Enters India’s Villages Through “Sarlaben”
One of the biggest attractions of the programme was the growing discussion around “Sarlaben” — Amul’s AI-based digital assistant launched during the AI Summit by Prime Minister Modi.
Designed to simplify technology access for rural women and livestock rearers, the platform aims to provide guidance related to dairy practices, cattle care, productivity and rural entrepreneurship.
Officials described the initiative as a major step towards bringing artificial intelligence into India’s villages in a simple and practical format.
For many rural women unfamiliar with advanced digital tools, “Sarlaben” is expected to become both a technological guide and a symbol of inclusion.
Cooperative Legacy Continues
Amit Shah also paid tribute to cooperative pioneers including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Tribhuvandas Patel and Dr. Verghese Kurien, crediting them for building the foundation of India’s dairy revolution.
From collecting barely 6,000 litres of milk in 1971 with a turnover of just ₹7,000, Madhur Dairy has today grown into a ₹628-crore institution — a journey Shah described as a “living example of the success of the cooperative model.”
Circular Economy to Boost Farmer Income
The Modi government is also betting heavily on circular economy principles in the dairy sector.
According to Amit Shah, improved waste utilisation, sustainable dairy practices and value-added processing could increase dairy sector incomes by at least 20 percent in the coming years.
Officials believe the combination of technology, sustainability and cooperative ownership could redefine rural economic growth across India.
Beyond Milk: A Story of Self-Reliance
For many families attending the event, the inauguration represented more than just a dairy expansion project.
It reflected a changing rural India where women are becoming shareholders in prosperity, villages are entering the digital economy and cooperative institutions are emerging as instruments of social mobility.
From cattle sheds to AI-powered dairy systems, the story unfolding in Gujarat is increasingly being projected as the Modi government’s model for building a self-reliant and economically empowered India.
