With this in mind, the Bihar government has urged the NDDB to help accelerate the state government in its dairy development efforts.

According to a press note, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held discussions with Dr Amrita Patel, chairman, NDDB, in Patna recently, urging her to play a proactive role in strengthening dairying and making it a more meaningful and sustainable occupation for millions of milk producers in the state.

Dr Patel said the NDDB would provide assistance, including technical and managerial support, to existing dairy cooperatives in Bihar so as to enable them to better serve their members and by promoting a plurality of new producer institutions that remain true to cooperative values.

NDDB would assist Bihar in preparing a roadmap for investing close to Rs 700 crore (Rs 7 billion) to enhance milch animal productivity and increase cooperative milk procurement, processing and marketing from a current level of 6 lakh kg to 40 lakh kg per day by 2021-22.

It was also agreed that NDDB will assist Bihar State Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation and milk unions in Bihar to improve efficiency in operation so as to be able to cope with competition from private players.

NDDB also agreed to recommend changes in the State Co-operative Acts so as to enable co-operatives to enjoy the required business autonomy and have level playing field with the competing private firms.