NASHIK :
The city and district unit workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sangram Party staged a protest in front of the district collector’s office demanding a subsidy of Rs 10 per litre for cow’s milk and Rs 50 per kg for milk powder. During the agitation held on Monday, the agitators also made a proclamation that milk should get subsidy and farmers should get justice.
Also, a statement was given to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Dairy Development Minister Sunil Kedar through the district collector. The statement said that Maharashtra produces 150 lakh litres of cow’s milk, out of which 30 lakh litres are procured from co-operative societies, 90 lakh litres of milk is procured through private companies and dairies and only 1 lakh litres of milk is procured through government schemes.
However, during the corona lockdown, milk sales fell by 30 per cent due to no demand from hotels and tea shops in the city.Despite the government’s announcement that they will purchase milk at Rs 25 per litre, it is being purchased from private organizations and co-operative milk unions at Rs 20 to 22 per litre.
Therefore, they demanded to not deduct the cost of milk production. The BJP, Shiv Sangram, RSP, RPI, Rayatkranti and allied parties have also alleged that seven lakh litres of milk is actually being purchased.It was also announced that a statewide agitation will be held with all the farmers on August 1 to stop milk collection.
