Union Minister felicitates ‘Lakhpati Didis’ of Tirupati

Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying S.P. Singh Baghel felicitated the ‘Lakhpati Didis’, the women entrepreneurs who have achieved remarkable financial milestones, at the Tirupati-based Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Organisation. During his visit to the plant here on Friday (September 12), he appreciated the Shreeja management for empowering women and fostering sustainable livelihood opportunities in the region.

It may be recalled that Shreeja, formed as a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) under the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), is fully-owned by women farmers. Laying emphasis on entrepreneurship and economic diversification, the Minister advocated for expansion of the women’s activities beyond the traditional dairying practices to encompass poultry farming, aquaculture and swine husbandry. “This strategic diversification will enhance income security and build resilience against market volatilities,” he observed.

Recently, Shreeja undertook seed production in Kadiri and Kadapa regions on a trial basis covering 200 acres of maize and 100 acres of sunflower, resulting in farmers receiving higher returns. Buoyed by the response, Shreeja has also planned 1,000 acres of seed production for maize and sunflower. Mr. Baghel also expressed awe at the women’s ambitious plan to install fifty bulk milk chilling units (BMCUs) in the current financial year under a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project.