Paradip, March 6: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that the BJP Government will work towards bringing a strong dairy cooperative network to every village in Odisha, similar to the successful model seen in Gujarat.

Shah was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the third stream of the Sulphuric Acid Plant (SAP-III) at the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) unit in Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district. He said that the expansion would also support India's push toward self-reliance in fertiliser production.

“Just like in Gujarat, the BJP Government will ensure dairy reaches every village in Odisha to strengthen rural livelihoods and economically empower women, particularly from tribal and Other Backwards Class (OBC) communities,” said Shah.

"Today in Gujarat, through 3.6 million rural women, Amul became a movement, and today Amul does business worth Rs 1.3 lakh crore. Its profit, down to every penny, goes to the women cattle herders of Gujarat. Similarly, we will explore the full potential of Odisha to enrich the tribal and OBC mothers and sisters here," Shah said.

He said the formation of a "double-engine government" would accelerate the State's development.

"Despite being one of the country's most prosperous states in terms of natural resources, Odisha's potential remained untapped for many years," said Shah adding that the new Government has prepared a comprehensive development plan covering coastal regions, tribal areas, and local industries.

"We will also increase fish farming by giving it cooperative strength. This is likely to greatly benefit seafood exports. In the coming days, the Ministry of Cooperation of the Government of India and the Odisha Government together will make efforts to enrich rural life in Odisha," he added.

Highlighting the importance of the newly inaugurated plant, Shah said that the expansion at the IFFCO Paradeep facility would help reduce India's dependence on imported raw materials used in fertilisers.

“I have come to Odisha today to assure you that, under the leadership of this double-engine government that you have formed, in no time our Odisha will join the ranks of developed States. There is so much wealth beneath the soil of Odisha that it can become India's richest State,” added Shah.