The Bihar government has announced plans to form milk producers’ committees in all 39,073 villages across the state within the next two years, in a major push to strengthen dairy production and rural livelihoods. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said committees have already been set up in 25,593 villages, while the remaining 13,480 will be covered during the planned period.
The Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resource Department has been directed to implement the initiative, which aims to ensure fair prices for livestock rearers and create employment opportunities in rural areas.
In addition, the state government plans to open Sudha Milk outlets in every panchayat by the end of the 2026–27 financial year. Currently, such outlets are operational in only about 100 of Bihar’s 8,053 panchayats. Under the earlier Saat Nischay-2 programme, Sudha Milk outlets had already been established across all blocks of the state.
Kumar stated that women associated with the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS), popularly known as JEEViKA ‘didis’, will receive priority in the allotment of new Sudha Milk outlets, promoting women’s entrepreneurship and participation in the dairy value chain.
The initiative forms part of the Saat Nischay-3 programme, which aims to position Bihar among India’s most developed states by 2030. According to the Chief Minister, expansion of the dairy sector will generate local employment, improve the availability of milk and milk products, and contribute to strengthening the rural economy.