Motihari, Jan 20 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi have jointly inaugurated in East Champaran district a state-of-the-art milk processing plant, which is set to offer "fair and competitive prices" to farmers.

The new Mother Dairy unit, a first in the state, is spread over 4.5 acres at Math Banwari village in Kotwa block of the district and has the processing capacity of one lakh litres of milk per day.

"Farmers supplying milk to the Mother Dairy plant will get better price in comparison to those who supply their produce elsewhere," Singh said after inaugurating the plant on Saturday.

The Narendra Modi-led government is "committed to work for the development of marginal farmers", he said.

The pace of development projects has been accelerated under the Modi government, the minister said, adding that free LPG connections and health insurance cover were being provided to the poor across the country by the Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, Bihar's deputy chief minister pointed out that the milk plant, built at an investment of Rs 15 crore, would pave the way for economic prosperity of local farmers.

Modi also said that Bihar's Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation Ltd (COMPFED) would set up another five -lakh-litre milk processing unit at Samastipur over the next one year, while a 300-metric-tonne capacity livestock feed unit would be coming up at Bihiya in Bhojpur district.

"The East Champaran processing and packaging plant would ensure fair price to the rural farmers and boost their income," he added.

Bihar's Tourism Minister Pramod Kumar, Cooperative Minister Rana Randhir, National Dairy Development Board Chairman Dilip Rath, Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Ltd Managing Director Sanjeev Khanna and a host of MLAs were among those present at the inauguration programme.

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