A CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: In a landmark development for southern Assam, the renovated dairy processing plant at Gungoor, Silchar, was formally inaugurated on Monday by Krishnendu Paul, Minister of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, marking the official entry of organized cooperative dairying into the Barak Valley region.
The dairy plant, originally owned by the Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department (AHVD), had remained defunct for several years. Under the Assam Dairy Development Plan, the state government handed it over to North East Dairy and Foods Limited (NEDFL)—a joint venture of the Government of Assam and NDDB—for renovation, reconstruction, and operationalization. The plant has now been upgraded with modern machinery, giving it a processing capacity of 20,000 litres per day. The entire work was completed in less than 10 months by IDMC Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of NDDB.
With its commissioning, consumers in Silchar and surrounding areas will now have access to standardized, hygienically packed fresh pouch milk under the Purabi brand, addressing a longstanding gap in the availability of quality fresh milk in the Barak Valley.
Purabi Dairy will introduce its standard milk under the brand name “Purabi Plus”, available in 250ml and 500ml pouches. The milk contains 4.5% fat and 8.5% SNF (Solids-Not-Fat), ensuring superior nutritional value and consistent quality. The 250ml pouch is priced at Rs 18, while the 500ml pouch will be available at Rs 35. In addition to pouch milk, products such as sweet curd, plain curd, lassi, paneer, ghee, ice cream, flavoured milk, and honey will also be available.
Addressing a large gathering of dairy farmers, Krishnendu Paul said, “The inauguration of the Silchar dairy processing plant is a landmark step in fulfilling Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma’s vision of building a self-reliant, farmer-centric dairy ecosystem in Assam. Our goal of achieving 10 lakh litres of milk processing per day across the state requires balanced regional expansion, and on Monday the Barak Valley formally becomes part of that growth journey. It will ensure access to hygienically processed, standardized milk for consumers while creating assured procurement channels and stable income opportunities for local dairy farmers. The Government of Assam remains committed to expanding dairy infrastructure, strengthening farmer institutions, and ensuring nutritional security for every household.”
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