AAnimal husbandry, which is part of agriculture, has been instrumental in powering the economy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.
He was speaking at a convention organised by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) in Bangalore on Saturday.
Pointing out that the production of milk has helped in addressing malnutrition to a large extent, Siddaramaiah said, “The State, which procures 55 lakh litres of milk annually, stands second in milk procurement in India. Initiatives will be taken to produce 60 lakh litres and take the State to first position.”
Siddaramaiah declared that after the Congress came to power in the State, the subsidy on milk was increased from `2 to `4 per litre.
Siddaramaiah appealed to farmers to take their cattle to veterinary hospitals and get them vaccinated as many cattle had died recently owing to foot-and-mouth disease.
Later, a special milk packed, which has a longer shelf life, was launched. Actor Puneet Rajkumar was felicitated on the occasion for being the brand ambassador of KMF products.