What is the White Revolution?

White Revolution? In India, Gujarat and Rajasthan had excess production as compared to local consumption of milk. In 1970, the National Dairy Development Board initiated activities like building veterinary centres, milk chilling centres, processing plants and strengthened the milk cooperative movement based on Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL). This was done through Operation Flood, with aid from the Food and Agriculture Organisation in the form of butter oil and milk powder. This ushered in the White Revolution in India, making it the world’s largest milk producing country.

What is the White Revolution?

Operation Flood is the program that led to “White Revolution.” It created a national milk grid linking producers throughout India to consumers in over 700 towns and cities and reducing seasonal and regional price variations while ensuring that producers get a major share of the profit by eliminating the middlemen. At the bedrock of Operation Flood stands the village milk producers’ co-operatives, which procure milk and provide inputs and services, making modern management and technology available to all the members.

The revolution associated with a sharp increase in milk production in the country is called the White Revolution in India also known as Operation Flood. White revolution period intended to make India a self-dependent nation in milk production. Today, India is the world’s largest producer of milk and Dr Verghese Kurien is known as the father of the White Revolution in India.

History:

During the years 1964-1965, the Intensive Cattle Development Programme was introduced in India in which the cattle owners were provided with a package of improved animal husbandry for promoting the white revolution in the country. Later on, the National Dairy Development Board introduced a new programme named “Operation Flood” to increase the speed of the white revolution in the country.

Operation Flood started in the year 1970 and was aimed to create a nationwide milk grid. It was a rural development programme initiated by NDDB – National Dairy Development Board of India.