Milk production increased to 137.7 million tonnes in the last fiscal from 17 million tonnes in 1950-51, Parliament was informed today.
Per capita availability of milk has increased to 307 grams from 130 grams during the period under review.
"...As per Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nation, India is the largest milk producing country in the world since 1998," Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Kumar Balyan said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.
"The milk production has increased from 17 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 137.7 million tonnes in 2013-14," he added.
In reply to a separate query, Minister of State Agriculture Mohanbhai Kundariya said that the Department of Animal Husbandry, dairying and Fisheries has released Rs 1,566.18 crore under diary development schemes during the last three years and the current fiscal.
"This amount is 0.01 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) at factor cost at current prices of 2013-14," he added.
The minister said the government has approved National Dairy Plan Phase I with an outlay of Rs 2,242 crore for a period of six years from 2011-12 to 2016-17 as a central sector scheme.
The scheme, which is being implemented through National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), aims to boost productivity of milch animals and thereby increase milk production to meet the rapidly growing demand.
