Chief Secretary reviews Dairy Cooperative Development in Ladakh.

Chief Secretary reviews Dairy Cooperative Development in Ladakh.
Leh, September 16, 2026: Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, today chaired a review-cum-consultative meeting on dairy development and strengthening of dairy cooperatives in Ladakh, engaging representatives of milk cooperative societies and other stakeholders to assess the progress of the sector and seek their suggestions for improving procurement, livestock productivity, cooperative management and market linkages.
The Chief Secretary interacted with representatives of functioning dairy cooperatives and milk producers and heard their experiences, concerns and suggestions regarding milk collection, dairy feed, equipment, payments, transportation, training and market access. The inputs received from the societies were discussed with the concerned departments and taken into consideration while reviewing the way forward for strengthening the cooperative dairy sector.
At the outset, the Cooperative Department presented an overview of dairy development in Ladakh, covering milk production, registered dairy cooperative societies, membership, milk procurement, supply to the Oma dairy plant and open-market supply. The status of functional and non-functional societies and the measures required to improve their performance were also reviewed.
The meeting discussed the dairy development plan for 2026-27, with emphasis on increasing milk production, expanding milk collection and processing capacity, strengthening collection infrastructure and logistics, and establishing better coordination between cooperatives, livestock development, processing facilities and markets. The adoption of digital systems for faster and transparent procurement and payment mechanisms was also discussed.
Reviewing the progress in Leh, Kargil, Nubra and other areas, the Chief Secretary sought a clear assessment of livestock numbers, milk productivity, cooperative membership, procurement levels and the financial viability of dairy societies. He stressed that existing cooperatives should be strengthened and made sustainable before undertaking wider expansion.
The Chief Secretary directed the concerned departments to prepare a concrete and time-bound action plan based on the suggestions received from cooperative members and field stakeholders. He emphasised strengthening cooperative management, maintaining proper accounts, improving technical capacity, providing need-based equipment and feed support, and organising training and exposure visits to successful dairy cooperative models.
It was also discussed to identify a limited number of societies for priority support during the current year and subsequently expand the model to additional villages and areas. Particular attention was given to developing milk collection networks in Leh, Kargil, Nubra and other suitable locations, along with strengthening linkages with processing facilities and markets.
The Chief Secretary emphasised that the dairy cooperative sector must ultimately contribute to higher and more stable incomes for livestock farmers, improved animal productivity and a sustainable dairy value chain in Ladakh. He directed the departments to implement the agreed measures on a fast-track basis and ensure effective utilisation of the budgetary support provided for 2026-27.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Cooperative Bhanu Prabha, OSD Special Projects Kunzang Moses, Additional Secretary Cooperative Department Dr Mohammad Usman Khan, Deputy Registrar Cooperative Sachin Bali, representatives of Oma, NDDB, Animal Husbandry Department, dairy cooperative societies, milk producers and other concerned departments and officials.