Anand: The first phase of National Dairy Plan (NDP), the ambitious scheme to double India’s milk production, was launched at the headquarters of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in the country’s milk capital here on Thursday. Launched as ‘Mission Milk’, NDP proposes to usher in country’s second White Revolution. Since 1998, India has already emerged as world’s largest milk producer. Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar unveiled the national plan in the presence of chief minister Narendra Modi. In the first phase, which is spread across six years and with a financial outlay of Rs 2,242 crore, NDP is aimed at increasing the productivity of milch animals through a scientifically planned multi-state initiative. According to NDDB chairperson Amrita Patel, the demand for milk is projected to be around 200 million tonnes in 2021-22, as against the production of 122.8 million tonnes in 2010-11. “It is necessary to maintain annual growth of over four per cent for the next 15 years to meet the estimated demand,” she said. NDP I will be implemented in 14 major milk producing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. It is being financed largely with loan from International Development Association (IDA) of World Bank and implemented by NDDB through End Implementing Agencies located in the states. Total financial outlay for entire NDP spread over 15 years tenure is Rs 17,300 crore. “If all the states support this project and make the implementation of the first phase successful, the World Bank has assured us that it will not hesitate in expediting further support for the next phases,” Pawar said, addressing mediapersons after the function. The dairy sector at present contributes six per cent to country’s GDP and 26 per cent to agriculture GDP. In phase one, NDP envisages production of 2,500 high genetic merit and disease free cattle and buffalo bulls of different breeds using internationally established practices of progeny testing and pedigree selection and import of 400 Jersey and Holstein Friesian bulls. It also intends to raise the proportion of milch animals bred through artificial insemination from 20 per cent to 35 per cent over the six-year project period. Various A and B graded semen stations in the country would also be strengthened for production of about 100 million doses for use by semen stations across the country.