Success Story of UPNRM Dairy Promotion Funtus Kunal: A Dairy Entrepreneur

Funtus Kunal is the name to be followed by the fellow milkman in Nepura Village of Nalanda District. He is Secretary of Nepura Dugdh Utpadan Samiti which procures and sells more than 800 liters of milk per day. He has a long cattle shed with owning 8 cows. He has mobilized more than 70 milkmen, each of whom own cows and sells milk on daily basis. Same was not the case three years back. Funtus Kunal was a normal village boy. He was very aggressive but due to limited resources he was not able to do much. Nepura Dugdh Utpadan Samiti was formed but the production of milk from the Samiti members was not enough to be sold to bigger market and limits the profit.

SARDA, during its intervention in the project area, assessed the scope of milk production in the area. The area is inhabited by milkmen who have inclination towards milk production but the limitation of money restricts them towards upscaling the production. Further, the cattle owned do not produce the required amount of milk. Thus, SARDA has proposed a project to NABARD for the upliftment of these milkmen. NABARD whole heartedly welcome the idea under UPNRM (Umbrella Program for Natural Resource Management) During the intervention, Funtus Kunal along with 69 other beneficiaries took active participation in the project. Funtus Kunal played the active role and mobilized other beneficiaries from his village and nearby village. Each of the beneficiaries are provided initial training towards the technicality of cattle rearing and milk production. They are also provided exposure visit which provided them much of the insight. Then, each of the beneficiaries are provided loan to buy two cows. Veterinary doctor use to visit the cattle on regular basis.

As per the words of Funtus Kunal, this all has changed his life completely. His dreamt Nepura Dugdh Utpadan Samiti is active now. He has increased his possession from two to eight cows. The cows are not only providing milk but cow dung is being used in preparation of vermicompost, as manure in the field. A 2.00 cum capacity biogas also constructed and use gobar gas which settles the problem of fuel for cooking to the family. This venture has provided an incremental income of minimum Rs 20,000/- to him. He has never failed to repay the installment of the loan taken by him from SARDA under the program. He also convinces other regarding timely payment. Now, he use to say with glittering eyes that he need one calf centre at the village so that good variety of cows could be procured by the villagers.