SITUATED ABOUT 15 kms away from Dimapur district in Nagaland, Singrijan village, a predominantly Gorkha village is home to Bhola Dairy Co-operative Society Limited cum AI Centre.

After a drought-like situation in and around the village in the year 1986, the villagers came together to establish the society in the same year to make good use of milk, since the villagers rear cattle besides agriculture. Moreover, dairying sector provided profitable self-employment opportunities to the villagers and is also a solution to the growing unemployment problems amongst the educated youths of the village to facilitate them to add to the family income. This society is registered, formed especially for the welfare of the village farmers involved in the dairy sector The society delivers milk to Dimapur Milk Union Limited (DIMUL) at 7th Mile in Dimapur.

The village head GB Tezu Pradhan, who is also the chairman of the society, while giving a comprehensive report of the society said that initially the society started with 160 farmers but due to diminishing of grazing land some farmers left rearing cattle. Due to decrease in the numbers of farmers, the production of milk had decreased from about 1, 500 litres (initially) to about 110 litres at present, per day. However, he added that in peak seasons, the milk production increases to about 300 litres per day. He pointed out that the villagers practice both dairy and agriculture and there is no one who completely depends on dairy.

"Earlier the society was good but the union was not.Now, the union is good and the society is somewhat surviving," said Pradhan adding, "earlier the society survived without receiving six months payment from the union."

Pradhan, who is also the member of the board of directors of DIMUL said that the union provided the society with modern machinery, loan facility, and sent members of the society on trainings and excursion to Gujarat, Haryana and West Bengal.

It is DIMUL which sends the vehicle to carry milk from the society, informed Narayan Giri, secretary of the society and also an AI worker, who underwent 45 days training on veterinary at Siliguri, sponsored by DIMUL. It receiuved the best society award thrice and was honoured four times with the best secretary award.T The society-cum-AI centre collects milk from in and around the village and also provides health check-ups to the cattle and cattle feeds on subsidised rates. The society, which remains open everyday from 8am to 10am and 4pm to 6pm, pays on an average Rs 12 per litres to the farmers, depending upon the quality of the milk.

"The production is down due to feeding problems but the society is still active and functioning, said the head GB adding, "the society has not incurred losses but has earned profit."

With approximately 210 households, the Singrijan village council has also banned the sale of milk from door to door by milkman since it would affect the growth of society, informed the head GB. "The society is contributing very much to the economy of the village," he affirmed.

Pradhan, while talking about the quality of animals, said that the production of milk also depends on climatic conditions, availability of grazing land, cross and high breed cattle.

Serving the society as a chairman since 1992, Pradhan hoped that one day it would become the model society of the district.

While expressing his hope, Hari Mishra, chairman of Singrijan Village Council, said that the society brought good name to the village and it would continue to bring more laurels.

Apart from bulk milk cooler, generator, nitrogen container, milk testing machine, buckets, AI kits and some furniture, the DIMUL also donated a sum of Rs 20, 000 towards the construction of society’s office building in the year 1994, while the rest of the amount of Rs 53, 000 was from by the village.