PANAJI: Minister for Co-operation Mahadev Naik on Thursday assured the state legislative assembly that he would direct the Gujarat-based Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers Union (SUMUL) operating in Goa to formulate its bye-laws within one month, just as Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar informed the House that if SUMUL asks the government for expansion of scope of its activities in Goa from the present four talukas to more talukas, then a decision would be taken based on the convenience of the dairy farmers in the state.
“SUMUL was brought in Goa to provide an option to Goa Dairy, and if the yield by way of cattle feed provided by SUMUL is satisfactory, as also the milk price offered by it to the dairy farmers suitable, the government won’t mind giving it permission to move in other talukas,” the Chief Minister noted.
Earlier, Bicholim legislator Naresh Sawal brought to the notice of the House that SUMUL, which arrived in Goa in February 2016, has completed 165 days in the state and as per Section 123 of the Goa Co-operative Societies Act, 2001 and Rules, 2003, it should have formulated bye-laws and submitted them to the government within 90 days. “Normally, the department of co-operation takes immediate action against all local co-operative bodies, which violate the laws,” he quipped, questioning as to why there was a delay in taking action against SUMUL.
Speaking further, the Bicholim legislator said that SUMUL has also failed to fulfil its assurances such as preparing new dairy farmers in Goa by way of training, and bringing cows from Gujarat to Goa. “On the contrary, SUMUL is looking for more ‘fertile’ talukas for its operations in Goa, which will harm the interest of Goa Dairy, a local dairy,” he observed, alleging that SUMUL is collecting milk from Goa and sending it to Gujarat, while claiming the support price from the government.
The Chief Minister took strong objection to the statement, maintaining that the government support price is only given to the dairy farmers and not to the milk collectors. He also informed that milk is imported in large quantity in Goa, and hence there is a scope for dairy business in the state, further lamenting that Goa does not produce milk in proportionality to the dairy schemes introduced by the government.
The Minister for Co-operation informed that SUMUL is paying more money to the local dairy farmers towards the cow milk as well as the buffalo milk collected from them, unlike the Goa Dairy. He also informed that after the entry of SUMUL in Goa, SUMUL has collected 3.34 lakh litres of milk from the local dairy farmers, from March 2016 to June 2016, while Goa Dairy has collected 7.74 lakh litres of milk, during the same period.
As regards the impact of the entry of SUMUL in Goa, the Minister for Co-operation said, “According to the information provided by Goa Dairy, its milk collection from Sattari, Sanguem and Quepem talukas has already been affected. However, there is no adverse impact on cattle feed and veterinary services.”
It was informed that SUMUL has enrolled 350 farmers, apart from creating 8 direct jobs and 44 indirect employments, as also it pays 0.15 per cent cess on the milk to the state government. It was further revealed that there are 4,700 dairy farmers in the state and the government collects Rs 1.34 crore in the form of cess on the milk.
The Minister for Co-operation also brought to the notice of the House that cases linked to the fodder scam and ice-cream machine against the Goa Dairy are presently before the vigilance department.
