Punjab has unveiled a major public health initiative aimed at tightening milk quality surveillance across the state. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian flagged off four advanced mobile testing vans in Ludhiana, marking a significant step in the state’s mission to eliminate adulteration in milk and cattle feed.
Operated by the Dairy Development Department, the vans will travel through both urban and rural regions, offering citizens immediate, on-the-spot testing of milk and feed samples. The government plans to deploy an additional four vans in the coming weeks, expanding the coverage of this citizen-focused service and reinforcing Punjab’s commitment to transparent and accessible food safety systems.
Khudian urged residents to actively participate, emphasising that regular testing and collective vigilance are critical to dismantling adulteration networks and ensuring families have access to safe, pure dairy products. The initiative also aligns with the state’s broader efforts to modernise dairy governance, enhance trust in local supply chains, and strengthen consumer awareness.
The minister also recognised young achievers at a state-level essay competition titled “Milk and Its Importance in Daily Life.” Over 400 students from Classes XI and XII participated, representing 17 districts. Forty-seven students were awarded prizes, with first-place winners receiving ₹3,000, certificates and mementoes. Khudian encouraged the students to explore educational pathways at leading institutions such as Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), noting that their programmes offer strong career prospects in dairy and allied sciences.
Highlighting Punjab’s rapidly expanding dairy ecosystem, Khudian described the sector as a driver of rural employment, nutritional security and economic resilience. He urged young people to consider dairy farming and dairy science as “viable and prosperous career paths” with immense growth potential.
