Jhabua(Madhya Pradesh): A government-backed dairy initiative in rural Jhabua has transformed the life of Anita Charel, who now runs a thriving milk processing business and provides employment to 35 families through her venture “Khushi Milk Udyog.”
A resident of Mandan village in Petlawad block, Anita belonged to a financially weak tribal family and earlier relied on farming and labour work for survival. Her annual income was nearly Rs 60,000, leaving little savings after household expenses.
After joining a Self-Help Group under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), she became aware of self-employment opportunities under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme.
With support from the horticulture department, she established a milk-based products unit in 2025-26 with an investment of nearly Rs two lakh and received a subsidy of Rs 70,000. Starting with the collection of 15 litres of milk daily from six villagers, her enterprise has now expanded to collecting around 180 litres every day.
The unit also produces curd, paneer, buttermilk and cattle feed, generating a monthly turnover of more than Rs 2.5 lakh while creating stable rural livelihoods.
