Overcoming Red Tape
The blog chronicles Dr. Verghese Kurien’s efforts to expand Operation Flood in Maharashtra amid bureaucratic opposition.
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We will not give funds to Missionaries – said Dr. Kurien
Dr. Kurien was a true Indian. Born in a Christian family from Kerala he would say “I am a Gujarati and an atheist !” I was posted at NDDB, Anand during 1997 to 2000. At Anand, I was working under Dr. N. V. Belawadi in the Cooperative Services Group. This group was successor to…
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Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Visits Anand
Much before his visit, NDDB, Anand was making preparation for his visit. I was at that time working at NDDB, Anand in the Co-operative Services Group. One day, Dr. N.V. Belawadi called me and told that, C.S. group had to organize visit of Prime Minister Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a nearby village. After long…
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Milk or Mangoes
Shri Narayan Rane meets Dr. V. Kurien Shri. Manohar Joshi was Chief Minister of Maharashtra during 1995-99. Shri.Narayan Rane was holding portfolio of Revenue and Dairying in his ministry. I was working as State coordinator of Maharashtra at NDDB, Mumbai office, and therefore, I had to meet Shri. Narayan Rane frequently. Shri. Narayan Rane belongs…
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Powder Plant of Bikaner Milk Union to Kolhapur Milk Union
Kolhapur District Co-operative Milk Union (Gokul) started its new dairy at MIDC, Gokul Shirgaon, Kolhapur in the year 1985. NDDB had taken this project on turn-key basis and erected dairy of 2 lakh lit. per day capacity for handling milk and 10 MT per day capacity of powder plant. As soon as new dairy was…
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Jalgaon Milk Producers Cooperative Union
The Jalgaon Milk Union, Jalgaon was covered under Operation Flood Programme in the year 1974. The Union was among first ‘18 Anand’s identified under Operation Flood -I programme. The Jalgaon Milk Union was chosen purely based on buffalo milk production in that area. Since ages, “Khandeshi Ghee” was famous in that part of northern Maharashtra….
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To transfer or not to transfer ?
Operation Flood II project was an expansion on the work done during Operation Flood I and include more milksheds under the project. Operation Flood I established 18 Anands from among 52 milksheds . Operation Flood II had to look at 136 districts to identify potential Anands of which 25 milksheds were from Maharashtra. It was…
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Sale of Dhara Oil in Mumbai and agitation by Shiv Sena
Shri. Sharad Pawar was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra during period 1993-95. The bomb blasts had just happened in Mumbai. Shiv Sena was trying to come to power and would launch agitation on any perceived issue of public interest. One such agitation Shiv Sena carried at that time was about supply of vegetable oil through…
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Dr. Kurien’s first visit to Kolhapur Milk Union
Dr Kurien’s advice in 1980 to the then Chairman of the Union was “ The only way to become strong was for the farmers co-operative to own and manage the operations of their own milk processing plant” . He had told Shri. Anandrao Patil to purchase a parcel of land near Kolhapur, and NDDB…
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Dr. Kurien receives Lokmanya Tilak Award
I was NDDB, State Director for Maharashtra during 2000-2003. In the year 2002, we received a message that Dr. Kurien would visit to Pune to receive “Lokmanya TilakAward” constituted by Lokmanya Tilak Trust, at Tilak Smarak Bhavan, Pune. The entire staff comprising ten NDDB Officers was asked to attend the ceremony. The Tilak SmarakBhavan in…
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Operation Flood III in Maharashtra
Names of three organisations (Polson, Amul and Aarey Milk Colony), two cities ( Bombay and Anand) , and three individuals (Shri Tribhuvandas Patel, Dr V Kurien and Shri DN Khurody) always find a place in any narrative on early history of dairy development in India. Maharashtra and Gujarat were part of Bombay state till reorganisation…
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A day with Dr V Kurien at Pune in 1992
I was deputed to meet Dr Kurien on arrival at Pune airport in 1992. He came to Pune to deliver Kale Memorial Lecture at the invitation of the Gokhle Institute of Politics and Economics. One reason probably was that Dr. Kurien did not like a NDDB officer to come to airport to receive him. However,…
