The White Revolution in India, also known as Operation Flood, is a revolution associated with a dramatic increase in milk output in the country. During the White Revolution, India’s goal was to become a milk-producing nation.
India has become the world’s largest economy. A milk producer Dr. Verghese Kurien is regarded as the father of India’s White Revolution.
A Brief History Of White Revolution
The Intensive Cattle Development Programme was implemented in India in 1964-1965, providing cattle owners with a package of enhanced animal husbandry in order to promote the white revolution in the country.
Later, the National Dairy Development Board launched a new campaign called “Operation Flood” to accelerate the country’s white revolution.
The goal of Operation Flood, which began in 1970, was to build a nationwide milk grid. The National Dairy Development Board of India (NDDB) launched the program as a rural development initiative.
Changing the composition of feed materials in different proportions and adopting new ways for animal husbandry were the key topics of the revolution.
Dr. Verghese Kurien, the chairman of the National Flood Control Committee, was present when Operation Flood was launched. The Dairy Development Board is an organization that promotes the development of the dairy industry.
Dr. Kurien pushed the project forward with his great managerial skills. The revolution will be fueled by cooperatives. As a result, he is regarded as the architect of India’s “White Revolution.”
The operation flood was built on the backs of village milk producer cooperatives. They procured milk and supplied services by maximizing the use of modern technology and management.
Several major corporations were involved in and aided the movement in India that changed Operation Flood into the White Revolution.
The success of the Operation Flood Programme was fueled by the collaboration of AMUL – Anand Milk Union Limited, a Gujarat-based company.
Advantages
- Milk productivity increased as a result of the White Revolution, and milk was now sold at market prices. This program boosted demand for the development and production of healthy animals, the application of contemporary technologies in the milk production industry, and the networking of small and large-scale dairy companies.
- In 1970, India’s White Revolution was one of the largest dairy development efforts in the world, led by the Indian government. It was a move by the Indian government to grow and assist the dairy industry in sustaining its economic viability by forming a cooperative and providing jobs to disadvantaged farmers.
- It put an end to the import of milk solids into India, and India began exporting milk powder to a number of countries. Dairy infrastructure and enterprises have been modernized and expanded. Dairy farming provides revenue to over 10 million farmers. Local dairy requirements are met. Crossbreeding has boosted the genetic improvement of milking animals.
Disadvantages
- The import of milk was halted, and the introduction of a new intriguing dairy product resulted in a drop in demand for Indian-based products. A few critics say that the white revolution in India has prioritized high-yielding breeds, resulting in the extinction of Indian breeds. They claim that while foreign varieties produce higher yields, they require more feed and are unsuitable for Indian circumstances. Importation of foreign breeds, as well as a lack of use of native breeds. Import of foreign feedstuffs that aren’t available in India.
- It appears that per capita milk availability in India exceeds 300 grams per day, compared to a global average of 294 grams. Unfortunately, human greed has resulted in milk adulteration, putting people’s health at risk. Because livestock is susceptible to a variety of diseases, milk taken from them in such a state of cattle or goats might spread dangerous diseases.
Conclusion
The objective of the entire white revolution can be stated as empowering Indian farmers and agriculture in India. It was a daring attempt to give dairy farmers authority over their own destiny and to tap into India’s vast dairy resources.
Despite these critiques, detractors believe that the White Revolution did an excellent job of transforming India into the world’s dairy powerhouse.
Also Read: Soybean Production In India
