Article 9. Amul model reaches Bapu's Porbandar –

VADODARA: From the land of Sardar Patel, Gujarat's famed Amul pattern of co-operatives has now reached Porbandar — the birthplace of Mahatma Gandh i . Milk producers of Porbandar district have started Porbandar District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (PDCMPUL), which they have named Sudama Dairy.

Based on Amul model of co-operatives, Sudama Dairy, which became functional last week, has joined the Amul family by becoming the 18th member union of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) - the apex body of all district dairy unions of Gujarat.

It was in 1946 that establishment of Amul Dairy in the greater Kheda district had paved the way for White Revolution in India, which was inspired by Iron Man of India - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Later, cooperative milk unions were established in other districts of Gujarat. In 1973, late Dr Verghese Kurien, the father of White Revolution, federated six milk unions of Gujarat to form GCMMF.

"It is dawn of the White Revolution for Porbandar district as Amul-affiliated Porbandar milk union has started ultra modern processing and milk procurement through automatic milk collection system, and milk producers have got remunerative price and market for milk at their doorstep," GCMMF's managing director R S Sodhi told TOI, adding that the estimated milk production of the district is around four lakh litre per day.

"We are planning to procure around two lakh litres of milk per day from our district within the next two years," said Arjanbhai Bhutaiya, chairman of Sudama Dairy. He added that at present the dairy union collects 8,000 litres milk per day from 20 villages in the district. "We will cover all the 154 villages of the district to achieve the two lakh litre target," he said.

Thanks to the Jafrabadi buffaloes of Porbandar, the quality of milk from the latest district dairy union of Gujarat is being considered the best in the state. Instead of the average 5.6 to 5.7 per cent fat that is registered elsewhere in Gujarat, milk received by Sudama Dairy has an average 7.6 per cent fat. "We have also established a modern dairy plant for milk processing at the cost of Rs 3 crore in Porbandar GIDC," Bhutaiya said.

Article 10. Amul launches India’s first ‘milk ATM’ –

An ATM from where people will now be able to withdraw other basic products like milk, chocolates, yogurt etc is not a joke but a reality. The pilot project of this 24x7 ATM began with the installation of a vending machine at the gate of Amul Dairy in Anand town of Gujarat on Sunday.

According to the company officials, Amul plans to install 1100 more such ATMs. These ATMs will be installed at different public places in Anand and Kheda towns, enabling the consumers to buy milk whenever needed.

For Rs 10, the ATM would dispense a 300 ml pouch of Amul Taaza milk. The ATM, fitted with refrigeration facility, has a capacity to hold 150 pouches at a time.

According to the company officials, if these ATMs prove to be a hit, then Amul will install them in other parts of the country also.