Operation Flood transforms a hamlet

Kothagudem: Taking a cue from specifics of the NDDB-initiated Operation Flood programme that heralded White Revolution across India, people of Morampalli Banjara, a hamlet in Burgampadu mandal, have started raising high-yielding milch cattle with promising results. In fact, they have already set a benchmark by producing 1,300 to 1,500 litres of milk every day. Naturally, their financial condition has improved vastly, with the overall environment of the hamlet changing for the better.

Every family in the village, with a population of 2,650, has at least two to five high-yielding variety of milch cattle. People with no land at all also purchase milch cattle and raise fodder on the outskirts of the village. Thanks to these efforts, their financial condition has improved so much that they are now sending their wards to schools.

Each of the high-yielding buffaloes costs between Rs 35,000 and Rs 70,000. Each family supplies 5 litres to 20 litres milk everyday to the milk collection centre. During the season, it goes up to even 35 litres. The milk collection centre pays to these milk producers amounts ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000.

Palakonda Savitri says that they raised loans to buy milch cattle and now the whole family depends upon milk production. “We supply 10 litres of milk daily to the milk collection centre,” she adds. Bobbayi Rattamma chips in, saying they are supplying 20 litres of milk. Kamireddi Adilakshmi points out that though the milk procurement price has gone up, fodder too has become expensive.­

By P V Satyanarayana