DV Ghanekar
NDDB 1974- 2009 and Kolhapur Milk Producers Union 2009 -2025.
Dr. Kurien’s Secret Visit and the Birth of Maharashtra’s Operation Flood III
Dr. Verghese Kurien, revered as the Father of India’s White Revolution, spearheaded the groundbreaking dairy program known as Operation Flood under the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). This initiative truly lived up to its name, creating a “Milk Flood” that empowered millions of farmers across the nation. Yet, in its nascent stages, the program encountered fierce opposition from certain IAS officers in the government, Dairy Department employees, and various organizations. Undeterred by this resistance, the NDDB leadership pressed on with unwavering resolve. During this period, I served as the Coordinator for Maharashtra State at NDDB’s Mumbai office—a position that involved regular visits to the State Secretariat (Mantralaya). Dr. Madhavan, Head of the Western Region, was resolute in securing an agreement with the Government of Maharashtra, no matter the obstacles.
I was momentarily taken aback, but quickly realized it encapsulated his profound exasperation with bureaucratic inertia and endless red tape. I responded with a knowing smile, and we continued to the meeting.
A Clandestine Journey to Mantralaya
A pivotal meeting was scheduled with Maharashtra’s then-Chief Minister, Mr. Sudhakarrao Naik. Given the internal pushback from officials and unions, Dr. Kurien’s visit to the Secretariat was shrouded in secrecy. We chose not to brief him on the opposition within the Maharashtra government, fearing it might provoke unnecessary tension or distress. Dr. Kurien was a stickler for punctuality and held time in the highest regard. He arrived first at the NDDB office near Churchgate, and precisely on schedule, we set off for the Secretariat. Having departed a bit early, he directed the driver to take a detour via Marine Lines to arrive exactly on time. Security was pre-alerted, granting us swift entry. The elevator was reserved exclusively for us—only Dr. Kurien and I rode up.
As we made our way to the Chief Minister’s chamber on the sixth floor, Dr. Kurien spotted stacks of old, dust-laden files cluttering the corridor. In his signature sarcastic style, he quipped, “Ghanekar, set fire to all these files.” I was momentarily taken aback, but quickly realized it encapsulated his profound exasperation with bureaucratic inertia and endless red tape. I responded with a knowing smile, and we continued to the meeting.
A Fruitful Encounter with the Chief Minister
The discussion proved remarkably fruitful. Chief Minister Sudhakarrao Naik expressed strong support, stating, “I admire your Operation Flood program. It’s immensely beneficial for farmers. Let’s implement it in Maharashtra. Set a date for the agreement signing—I’ll be there personally, and I’d like Dr. Kurien to join as well.” The initial date clashed with Dr. Kurien’s commitments, including a key meeting in Lucknow that same day. After a brief pause, he reconsidered: “You’re right. This agreement is crucial for us. I’ll fly straight to Mumbai from Lucknow. Arrange for immediate transport from the airport to your residence—I should arrive around 8:00–8:30 PM.” The Chief Minister readily agreed.
Sealing the Historic Agreement
A helicopter was specially arranged from Mumbai airport. Upon his timely arrival, Dr. Kurien was whisked via Raj Bhavan to the Chief Minister’s official residence, “Varsha.” At approximately 8:30 PM, with both Dr. Kurien and the Chief Minister in attendance, Dr. Amrita Patel and Maharashtra’s Agriculture Secretary signed the agreement. Starting April 1, 1985, Operation Flood Phase III rolled out in Maharashtra. The longstanding issue of the Government Guarantee was settled, paving the way for subsequent phases and programs to advance smoothly with full state cooperation.
A Legacy of Triumph Over Bureaucracy
That day stands as a golden chapter in Maharashtra’s dairy history—a resounding victory of perseverance over bureaucracy, a dedication to farmers’ welfare, and a shining example of visionary leadership.
One reply on “Overcoming Red Tape”
The article by Shri Ghanekar is interesting. I would say that luckily Sudhakarrao Naik had a term as CM and the MOU was signed around 1992.
This takes me back to 1975 when Vasantrao Naik was CM and Jalgaon district was covered under OF 1 and FBD was under construction. I was NDDB’ s Team Leader and Shri SD Burde was Liaison Officer. One day we had a visitor Sudhakar Naik who was then just a Sarpanch of his village in Pusad taluka. We showed him the project and I narrated famous Anand model. He was wondering whether his Yeotmal district could get similar project like Jalgaon. See the coincidence that the same person after 17 years was CM and readily agreed for signing of MOU with NDDB.