2. India’s White Revolution

What is the White Revolution?

The White Revolution is a sudden rise in milk production in India making India the worlds largest milk producer. It was spurred on by Operation Flood launched by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1970.

Verghese Kurien known as the Father of the White Revolution led this initiative.

Objectives of Operation Flood

• Increase milk production, creating a flood of milk.
• Boost rural incomes through dairy farming.
• Provide milk to consumers at fair prices.

Key Features

• Formation of village milk producers cooperatives for fair distribution of profits.
• Establishment of a National Milk Grid to reduce price variations.
• Adoption of modern animal husbandry techniques and improved cattle feed.

Phases of Operation Flood

• Phase 1 (1970-1980)
  • Financed by selling donated dairy products from the European Union World Food Program.
  • Focused on developing marketing strategies for milk in urban areas.
• Phase 2 (1981-1985)
  • Expansion of milk sheds from 18 to 136 and urban markets to 290.
  • Self sustaining system with 425 million milk producers across 43000 village cooperatives.
  • Rise in domestic milk powder production from 22000 tons 1980 to 140000 tons 1989.
• Phase 3 (1985-1996)
  • Strengthened dairy cooperatives and infrastructure.
  • Expanded dairy networks, connecting over 73930 cooperatives and 35 crore farmers.

Importance of the White Revolution

• It has made India milk self sufficient surpassing USA.
• Middleman malpractices are being checked. That in turn will result in increased profitability of milk products at farm levels.
• Livelihood in the villages have improved thereby the economy.
• Created a stable dairy industry that came to its fruition by AMUL.
• The White Revolution transformed India from a milk deficient country to the world’s top producer. It’s impact on rural livelihoods and nutrition remains one of the greatest achievements in India’s agricultural history.

Equitable Access to Milk Beyond the White Revolution

Success of the White Revolution Milk production in India surpassed that of all other countries to become the world’s largest producer, yet this achievement has not translated to fair access to milk for the Indian population.

• Nutritional Importance
  • Milk provides protein and calcium and delivers important micronutrients, preventing child stunting and undernutrition.
• Consumption Disparities
  • Households in the top income decile consume 34 times more milk than the lowest income decile.
  • Urban households consume 30% more than rural households though the latter are the main producers.
  • Eastern states like Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal consume much less milk than states like Rajasthan and Punjab.
• Affordability Barriers
  • The recommended daily intake of 300g is unaffordable for 70 of households who would need to spend 1030 of their monthly budget on milk.
• Overconsumption Concerns
  • Wealthier urban households consume excessive dairy, raising risks of obesity and noncommunicable diseases.

Policy Recommendations

• Strengthen Milk Access for Vulnerable Groups
  • Expansion of milk provisions under POSHAN ICDS meals and take home rations.
  • Increase financial allocations and explore innovative funding social bonds CSR and cess on unhealthy foods.
  • Implement milk coupon systems in regions with strong dairy networks.
• Improve Nutrition Awareness
  • Promote milks nutritional value through Anganwadi centres, doctors and selfhelp groups.
  • Learn from Maharashtra and Bihar’s grassroots nutrition campaigns.
• Encourage Balanced Consumption
  • Use media influencers and health professionals to promote moderate milk intake.
  • Launch public health campaigns as the UK did with Change4Life Sugar Swaps, to limit excessive dairy intake.

White Revolution 2.0

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Cooperation unveiled standard operating procedure (SOPs) for White Revolution 2.0, aimed at empowering women farmers and creating job opportunities. 

White Revolution 2.0

White Revolution 2.0 is a program aimed at ensuring increased milk production women empowerment and malnutrition control.
It is a sequel to the original White Revolution touted as Operation Flood that was initiated by Dr Verghese Kurien in 1970. The move transformed India from a milk deficient country into the worlds number one milk producer.

Targets and Goals

• Milk Procurement
  • Targets By the fifth year of White Revolution 2.0 dairy cooperatives will procure 100 million kilograms of milk daily. The target is to increase daily procurement from the current 660 lakh litres per day to 1000 lakh litres.

Key Initiatives Under White Revolution 20

• Margdarshika SOPs Launch
  • Margdarshika SOPs have been implemented to open 20,00,00 new multipurpose primary agricultural cooperatives (MPACs).
  • The cooperatives will be opened in panchayats where there are no cooperatives for agriculture fisheries and dairy related activities.
  • The scheme is being implemented in association with NABARD and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Empowerment of Women

• Women form an essential part of the dairy sector and more specifically of Gujarat where this industry has earned them 60,000 crore.
• White Revolution 2.0 would be all about women formalization, which would make sure that all their payments were directly deposited into their bank accounts, thus making them economically independent.

Tackling Malnutrition

• This shall ensure easy accessibility of milk and therefore benefit those children of poor and malnourished families.
• This surplus milk will translate to better nutrition, combating malnutrition in more vulnerable sections.

Synergistic Integration with Ongoing and Proposed Plans

• Building on Current Programs
  • White Revolution 2.0 integrates into schemes currently in implementation by the Government of India including the Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) and the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD).
  • As is proposed it will be added to the newer phase called NPDD 2.0 which looks forward to continue the cooperative agenda under the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• Expansion of Initiative Cooperation Among Cooperatives
  • Cooperation Among Cooperatives initiative has also been expanded on a pan country basis after taking off a well performing pilot in Gujarat.
  • This will enable dairy farmers to avail of interest free cash credit through RuPay Kisan Credit Cards and micro ATMs will be provided for better financial inclusion in rural areas.
• PACS Computerisation
  • The government has introduced SOPs for the upgradation and computerization of PACS so that the PACS become more efficient and transparent in their working.