NDDB launches subsidiary 'NDDB Mrida Ltd' for manure management

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By Sandeep Joshi

New Delhi, July 26: Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala formally launched the NDDB MRIDA Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary company of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), here on Monday to carry forward manure management initiatives across the nation.

Expressing his delight on the occasion, Rupala lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his call to double the farmers’ income. “He made several initiatives in this regard. So, the goal was to ensure agriculture and allied sector move forward together,” he added.

Rupala thanked NDDB and its Chairman Meenesh Shah for initiating a step in a new direction at an appropriate time. He also lauded Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) on the occasion.

Rupala said that it was Chaturvedi’s idea that several subsidiary companies are working under the NDDB on various subjects. He also remembered former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri stating the beginning of NDDB was done to establish the Amul model in the country. “The NDDB has not only done tremendous work in the country, but has also established its foot abroad…So, this is an asset,” he said.

With the approval of the Central Government, NDDB has established NDDB MRIDA Limited, an Unlisted Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 2013 on July 1, 2022 as with the paid-up capital of Rs.9.50 crore.

He said NDDB Mrida Ltd will open avenues of additional income to dairy farmers from sale of slurry/dung. The savings to the farmers by virtue of replacement of cooking fuel with biogas. Efforts are being made for better utilisation of bovine dung but most are individual initiatives. However, this new company will provide structured impetus to manure management efforts.

Also, promoting usage of dung-based manure will gradually lead to replacement of chemical fertilisers with organic manure thereby reducing dependency on India’s dependency on imports, the Union Minister further said.

Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Sanjiv Kumar Balyan said this is a first-of-its-kind company focussing on efficient utilisation of dung by creating a manure management value chain which will immensely contribute to enhancing the livelihoods of dairy farmers at the same time contribute towards Swachh Bharat Mission and promotion of green energy.

“I am happy that NDDB, which was earlier in Gujarat, has now moved out and is taking steps to establish cooperatives across the country,” he added.

Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying L. Murugan on his part congratulated the NDDB for coming forward and taking an innovative and a new initiative to ensure the cow dung is used as wealth. He also threw light on Prime Minister Modi’s vision of waste to wealth.

Murugan said the manure management initiatives have potential to generate biogas equivalent to 50 per cent of India’s present LPG consumption and also produce bio slurry equivalent to 44 per cent of India’s NPK requirement.

He added efficient manure management also promotes general well-being and cleanliness besides contributing to increasing the productive economic life cycle of the milch animals beyond milking, thereby helping tackle the problem of stray cattle and lowering of GHG emissions.

The NDDB Chairman said MRIDA Ltd will take up setting up of manure value chain, biogas-based CNG generation, biogas-based energy generation for dairy plants.

Shah added the company will explore opportunities to efficiently use cattle dung as ingredients for various applications in different industries and as a replacement to traditional wood, clay, paint, etc.

He said the company will undertake research and development on cost effective technologies for efficient dung management, adding a major area of focus will be establishing revenue generation models at the village-level through sale of cattle dung-based products.

“The company will provide marketing and sale support to agencies manufacturing gobar-gas slurry-based fertilisers and establish mechanisms to accrue carbon revenue from the projects to generate additional revenue stream for dairy farmers,” he said.

The Agriculture Secretary on his part said the NDDB has also taken up projects for utilisation of cattle dung to meet the energy needs of dairy plants. “The foundation stone for first such project was laid by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in Varanasi on December 23, 2021. NDDB has also registered a trademark named “SuDhan” to provide common identity to dung-based organic fertilisers,” he added.