Gandhinagar,  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the progress made by the Banas dairy in Gujarat's Banaskantha district is a right move towards 'local to global'.

Modi was in Deodar of Banaskantha district to dedicate the over Rs 610 crore dairy project of Banas dairy, including a per day 48 tonne capacity potatoes processing plant.

Prime Minister Modi is in his home state Gujarat since Monday on a 3-day visit to the state to take part in a slew of programmes.

Modi on Tuesday inaugurated and publicly dedicated the newly built Banas Dairy plant at Sanadar near Deodar, spread over 151 acres.

Along with that, he also inaugurated a potato processing and product unit as well as the Doodhvani community radio station (FM 90.4).

Addressing around one lakh people, PM Modi said: "This is probably the first time it might be happening that I am receiving the blessings of 1.5 to 2 lakh mothers and sisters. This blessing is of invaluable significance. During the time I spent in the plant while visiting, I met agro producers and plant officials, and whatever I saw, I learned, I was truly impressed. The Banas dairy plant is the best example of mother's and sisters (women) empowerment."

"I feel indebted towards you (Banaskantha), obliged as an MP towards you. By participating in this public dedication programme, my joy is multiplied manifold," the Prime Minister said.

Modi had also laid the foundation stone of 'Banas Dairy Sankul' at the UP State Industrial Development Authority Food Park, Karkhiyaon, Varanasi last year on December 22.

The Varanasi plant is spread across 30 acres of land and the entire dairy project will be at a cost of about Rs 475 crore and will have a facility for processing 5 lakh liters of milk everyday.

Modi also did the electronic inauguration of the expansion of a cheese plant and a whey plant at Palanpur, also an organic fertilizer and bio-CNG plant at Dama, and also did the electronic foundation stone laying ceremony of four new biogas plants at Khimana, Ratanpur Bhildi, Radhanpur and Thawar. All these projects are a part of the Banas dairy, Banaskantha.

"Whatever projects that were publicly dedicated today, are an excellent example of our traditional strength. Banas dairy not only provide the farmers, the best of the potato seeds variety, but also gives a better price for the cultivated potatoes. This has opened a new door for farmers to earn money," said the Prime Minister.

"The Banas dairy project has also established that to double the farmers income, not only milk, but other products can also be useful. This is a good step of today's Bharat from going local to global. Despite, being a water scarce region, Banaskantha has shown that through the Kankrej breed cow, Mehsana buffalo and Potatoes, it can be a model to be replicated," said the Prime Minister.

Shankar Chaudhary, the chairman of the Banas dairy, said: "This is the first instance in India where a second dairy plant is being constructed in a single district. This construction of the state-of-the-art dairy plant is an achievement; as the plant was constructed in a short span of 18 months, starting from June 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak.

"Machines equipped with the latest technology are installed in the plant, imported from seven different countries. Initially, the milk processing capacity of the plant is 30 lakh liters per day, which eventually will be increased to 50 lakh liters per day," he added.

According to Chaudhary, the total milk production of Banas Dairy has increased to 90 lakh litre per day in the last seven years, which was 40 lakh litre per day for five decades since the inception of the dairy.