Maharashtra to lose Mahananda Dairy soon; will be handed over to Union govt

Mumbai: Already in the pillory for forfeiting various projects to different states, Maharashtra government is all set to lose its prime government dairy 'Mahananda' to the Central government.

Mahananda Dairy to be handed over to National Dairy Development Board

An indication to this effect came from Dairy Development Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who informed the State Assembly that the state government is unable to run the dairy. So, the Mahananda dairy will be handed over to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), a statutory body that is under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and has its main office is in Anand (Gujarat). 

"We did not want to hand over the Mahananda Dairy to a private trust or company and, therefore, decided to rope in the NDDB. The talks are in the final stage. However, NDDB told us that they will only accommodate 350 Mahananda employees out of the total 940. Mahananda Dairy is very much in trouble and not even able to pay the salaries of its employees," Patil said in the Assembly during the social discussion on Tuesday.

Awhad criticised the decision

NCP MLA Jeetendra Awhad called the decision yet another setback for Maharashtra. "There were several key Central government offices in Mumbai, but now these have been either shifted to Gujarat or Delhi.

Mahananda Dairy was once a profit-making entity. It owns a big chunk of land in Mumbai. I am afraid that by handing over the Mahananda Dairy to the Central government, they may end up handing over the land as well. Why should Maharashtra lose its assets?" demanded Awhad.