The Dairy Sahakar scheme, launched in the financial year 2021–22, has emerged as a key initiative to strengthen dairy cooperatives across the country. This was stated by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, in a written reply.
The scheme operates as an umbrella framework of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Cooperation, with the objective of providing financial assistance for infrastructure creation and business requirements of dairy cooperatives.
Under the scheme, any entity registered under the State or Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, with appropriate provisions in its bye-laws to undertake dairy-related activities, is eligible for assistance, subject to fulfillment of NCDC guidelines and applicable dovetailed schemes. Financial assistance is provided by NCDC either directly or through the respective State Governments after due examination of proposals.
From 31 October 2021 to 8 December 2025, NCDC has disbursed total financial assistance of Rs 186.48 crore to 19,938 dairy cooperatives across nine States. Telangana received the highest assistance of Rs 51.93 crore benefiting 3,018 societies, followed by Gujarat with Rs 49.81 crore to 9,472 societies and Tamil Nadu with Rs 37.33 crore to 175 societies. Other beneficiary States include Uttarakhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Kerala.
The Minister clarified that financial assistance under Dairy Sahakar is sanctioned based on receipt and merit of proposals. As no proposal has been received from Andhra Pradesh, no assistance has been provided to dairy cooperatives in the State under the scheme.