Lucknow, August 17: Nearly 4 lakh women in the villages of Uttar Pradesh have emerged as a new force of the White Revolution. By joining the Yogi government’s Rural Livelihood Mission and dairy model, these women are no longer limited to animal husbandry. They now manage everything from milk collection and quality testing to sales and payments. Women in 31 districts of the state are collecting around 12.5 lakh liters of milk every day. This change has also directly impacted women’s incomes, with more than 73,000 of them becoming Lakhpati Didis.
At the direction of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an initiative has been undertaken through the livelihood mission to free rural businesses from middlemen and connect women directly with the market. This network developed in villages is not only ensuring that women receive the right price for their milk, but is also putting the complete business records in their hands.
Using mobile apps and digital machines, records of milk quantity, fat testing, price, and payment are available online.
Animal husbandry has long been an important source of income for families in rural areas. Despite women playing the largest role in caring for animals and producing milk, their direct participation in milk sales, price setting, and accounting remained limited. Now, this system is beginning to change through the new dairy model. Women in villages are now joining milk producer groups and companies and managing the business themselves.
A key feature of this model is that women are getting a regular market while staying in their own villages. After milk is delivered to collection centers, its quantity and quality are recorded digitally. This enables women livestock rearers to know the quantity of milk, its fat content, and the payment they will receive.
The digital system has increased transparency in the milk business while eliminating the role of middlemen. Earlier, rural livestock rearers had to depend on local buyers. They also had limited options regarding price and quality testing. Under the new system, milk quality is tested through machines, and the records are entered online.
This has reduced uncertainty about milk prices. Because payment information also remains in the digital record, women have a clear account of their business and income. Its benefits are also visible in their families' financial management.
Arun Kumar, Mission Director, Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission, said the impact of the digital dairy network on women's economic condition is clearly visible. More than 73,000 women in the state have become Lakhpati Didis by joining this women-led milk model. This means that the dairy business is no longer merely an additional source of income for them, but has emerged as a regular and strong means of livelihood.
Spread across 31 districts of the state, this network is also reshaping the role of women in the rural economy. With income from milk production coming directly into women’s hands, their financial participation in everyday household expenses, children’s education and other needs has increased.
Arun Kumar, Mission Director, Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission, stated that mobile and digital technology has made business easier than before for women livestock rearers in villages. With information on milk collection and payments available online, they no longer have to depend on others to maintain records of their daily business.
This digital network developed at the village level is strengthening the rural economy along with empowering women.
