Revival of Chittoor Dairy will help usher in prosperity to region: Minister

 TIRUPATI: Forests and energy minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy has reiterated that the state government's commitment to revitalising the Chittoor Cooperative Dairy would bring prosperity to the region and improve the lives of people, especially dairy farmers.

Deputy chief minister Narayanaswamy and minister Ramachandra Reddy along with collector Shan Mohan visited the cooperative dairy premises on Monday to assess the arrangements for Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's scheduled visit on Tuesday there. The CM would lay the foundation for various development works.

Addressing the media after a review meeting with officials, Ramachandra Reddy said the CM fulfilled his promise to revive the Chittoor Dairy that had remained closed since 2002. Steps have been taken to restart the dairy operations within the next 10 months, he said.

He said Amul Foods will manage the dairy, ensuring fair prices for milk and safeguarding the interests of dairy farmers.

The restart of the cooperative sugar factory had been promised by Jagan Mohan Reddy during his Padayatra.

“In the past, this cooperative sugar factory faced losses due to limited sugarcane cultivation in the region. To address this, plans are under way to convert the factory into a food processing unit, benefiting the farmers. Arrangements are being made to reopen the factory in time for the next crop season,”  the minister said.

He announced that the outstanding dues of Rs 32 crore will be paid to the workers and staff associated with the sugar factory from today. “We shall request the CM to release Rs 11 crore to settle the outstanding dues to the staff and dairy farmers of Chittoor Dairy.”

The Chief Minister would lay the foundation for a 300-bed hospital in Cheelapalli. The hospital being set up by Vellore’s Christian Medical College would greatly benefit the people of the region, Minister Reddy said.

The hospital will be requested to extend free treatment to patients under the YSR Aarogyasri healthcare programme, he added.