National Gopal Ratna Awards | 29 Nov 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) announced the winners of the National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2024 under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM).

• It is one of the highest honours in the livestock and dairy sector and is presented on National Milk Day (26th November 2024).

Key Points

• Objective of the Awards:
  • The NGRA aims to recognize and encourage contributions to animal husbandry and dairying.
• Award Categories:
  • Best dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds,
  • Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT)
  • Best dairy cooperative/ milk producer company/ dairy farmer producer organisation.
• Special Awards for the North Eastern Region (NER) were introduced in 2024.
• Special Recognition for North Eastern Region (NER):
  • From 2024 onwards, a special award is included for the North Eastern Region (NER) in all three categories to boost dairy development activities in the region.
• First Rank Winner of each category is:
  • Best Dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds- Smt. Renu, Jhajjar, Haryana.
  • Best Dairy Cooperative society/Milk Producer company/ Dairy Farmer producer organization- The Gabat Milk Producers Cooperative Society Limited, Aravali, Gujarat.
  • Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT)- Shri Bhaskar Pradhan, Subarnapur, Odisha.
• Background on Livestock Sector:
  • The livestock sector contributes one-third to the agriculture and allied sector’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and has a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 8%.
  • It plays a vital role in enhancing farmer income, especially for landless, small, and marginal farmers, and women and providing affordable and nutritious food.