
ICAR-NDRI partners with the Haryana prisons department to equip inmates with scientific animal husbandry and value-added milk processing skills.
The intersection of criminal justice and agricultural modernization has taken a major step forward in India. On its 104th Foundation Day, the prestigious ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal finalized a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Haryana prisons department. This unprecedented alliance is structured to systematically equip inmates with comprehensive, hands-on professional expertise spanning scientific animal husbandry, modern dairy farming practices, fluid milk processing, and entrepreneurial management.
The formal pact was signed by NDRI Director Dheer Singh alongside the Superintendent of Karnal District Jail, Lakhbir Singh Brar, with Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Bhatia presiding over the inaugural ceremony. According to state coordinators, the vocational integration project focuses heavily on driving social rehabilitation, expanding practical skill sets, and establishing long-term financial self-reliance among individuals preparing for reintegration into mainstream economic sectors.
Under the technical framework of the MoU, selected inmates will undergo a highly structured, three-month vocational training program directly on-site at the specialized dairy unit established within the District Jail campus in Karnal. The comprehensive curriculum will blend theoretical science with intensive practical field applications. Instruction will cover vital production pillars including advanced animal care, herd nutrition, physical identification of diverse dairy breeds, clinical disease control, and hygienic farmgate milk extraction techniques.
To maximize downstream economic value, the educational modules place heavy emphasis on value-added dairy manufacturing. Prisoners will be trained in processing raw milk inputs into high-demand regional staples such as ghee, cheese, curd, and butter, alongside mastering the core business mechanics of dairy-based self-employment. Jail Superintendent Brar confirmed that the first phase of this rollout will strictly prioritize inmates housed within open and semi-open facility blocks who have demonstrated exemplary behavioral conduct and a genuine desire to build a legal livelihood upon release.
The institutional initiative has generated strong praise from regional policy figures, who see it as a transformative tool for socioeconomic restoration. NDRI Director Dheer Singh pledged total technical and infrastructural backing to ensure the program’s absolute long-term success, while MP Sanjay Bhatia announced an immediate state grant allocation of ₹5 lakh to every individual prison facility across Haryana to incentivize similar agricultural rehabilitation frameworks. For global dairy observers, this unique initiative highlights how elite research bodies can successfully leverage baseline dairy science to build inclusive social infrastructure.
Source: Hindustan Times
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