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{{Short description|Government department of Kerala, India}}

{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = Department of Dairy Development
| type = Department
| logo = Government of Kerala Logo.svg
| formed = {{Start year|1962|df=yes}}
| jurisdiction = [[Government of Kerala]]
| headquarters = [[Pattom]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]]
| minister1_name = [[J. Chinchu Rani]]
| minister1_pfo = Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Milk Co-operatives and Zoos
| chief1_name = Shri. Minhaj Alam IAS
| chief1_position = Secretary to Government
| chief2_name = Salini Gopinath
| chief2_position = Director of Dairy Development
| website = {{URL|https://dairydevelopment.kerala.gov.in/}}
}}

The Dairy Development Department is a department of the [[Government of Kerala]] responsible for the development of the dairy sector and related activities in the state. The department has its headquarters in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], Kerala.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gad.kerala.gov.in/sites/default/files/general_attachment/Rules%20of%20Business%20-%20Part%20II.pdf |title=Rules of Business — Part II |publisher=Government of Kerala, General Administration Department |access-date=2025-11-28 }}</ref>
==History==
In 1962, during the tenure of Shri [[E. P. Poulose|E. P. Paulose]] as minister for food and animal husbandry, the Dairy Development Department was established in Kerala with Shri N. Balakrishna Pillai as its first Director.<ref>https://dairydevelopment.kerala.gov.in/Eng/index.php/at-a-glance/history</ref> The department initially functioned with a directorate in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] and a district office attached to it with a small staff. Subsequently, district offices were opened in [[Ernakulam district|Ernakulam]] and [[Kozhikode district|Kozhikode]].
==Governance==
The department is headed by a [[Minister (government)|Cabinet minister]] of the Government of Kerala. The incumbent minister for dairy development is [[J. Chinchu Rani]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Dairy farmers urged to increase milk production|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/dairy-farmers-urged-to-increase-milk-production/article69531684.ece|work=The Hindu|date=2025-05-02|access-date=2025-12-02|issn=0971-751X|language=en-IN|first=The Hindu|last=Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Minister inaugurates State-level dairy farmers’ meet in Idukki|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/minister-inaugurates-state-level-dairy-farmers-meet-in-idukki/article67864158.ece|work=The Hindu|date=2024-02-19|access-date=2025-12-02|issn=0971-751X|language=en-IN|first=The Hindu|last=Bureau}}</ref>

The department is administratively headed by a principal secretary to government, an [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]] officer. The secretary is assisted by additional secretaries, deputy secretaries and under secretaries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gad.kerala.gov.in/sites/default/files/general_attachment/Rules%20of%20Business%20-%20Part%20II.pdf |title=Rules of Business — Part II |publisher=Government of Kerala, General Administration Department |access-date=2025-11-28 }}</ref>

The field-level department, the Directorate of Dairy Development, headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, is headed by a director appointed by the government. The current director of dairy development is Dr. Salini Gopinath.<ref>https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/dairy-farmers-urged-to-increase-milk-production/article69531684.ece</ref>
==Organisational structure==
The Directorate of Diary Development, functions under the director. The director is assisted by joint directors and deputy directors at the headquarters.

There are district-level offices in each of the 14 districts, headed by deputy directors of dairy development. In addition, there are five Dairy Training Centres—located in [[Kollam]], [[Kottayam]], [[Palakkad]] and [[Kozhikode]]—each headed by a deputy director.<ref>https://dairydevelopment.kerala.gov.in/Eng/index.php/institutions/district-wise-offices</ref>

At the grassroots, Dairy Extension Service Units operate mostly at the [[Panchayat samiti|block panchayat]] level and are headed by dairy extension officers (DEOs). These units also have dairy farm instructors.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dairy Development Department {{!}} Welcome to Malappuram {{!}} India|url=https://malappuram.nic.in/en/dairy-development-department/|access-date=2025-12-02|language=en-US}}</ref>
===Specialised divisions===
There is a State Fodder Farm at [[Valiathura|Valiyathura]] and a State Dairy Laboratory at [[Pattom|Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=The Fodder Grass Museum in Thiruvananthapuram showcases different varieties of fodder grass and fodder crops|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fodder-grass-museum-state-fodder-farm-thiruvananthapuram/article70112080.ece|work=The Hindu|date=2025-10-06|access-date=2025-12-02|issn=0971-751X|language=en-IN|first=Athira|last=M}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=With Valiyathura fodder farm shrinking, Kerala govt. plans to open new one to meet demand|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/with-valiyathura-fodder-farm-shrinking-kerala-govt-plans-to-open-new-one-to-meet-demand/article66470944.ece|work=The Hindu|date=2023-02-04|access-date=2025-12-02|issn=0971-751X|language=en-IN|first=Tiki|last=Rajwi}}</ref> Regional laboratories are located in [[Kottayam]], [[Kasaragod]] and [[Alathur]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala dairy development steps to ensure quality milk {{!}} Kerala dairy development steps to ensure quality milk|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/140816/kerala-dairy-development-steps-to-ensure-quality-milk.html|website=www.deccanchronicle.com|date=2016-08-14|access-date=2025-12-02|language=en|first=Krishna Kumar K.|last=E}}</ref>
==Autonomous institutions==
* Kerala Livestock Development and Milk Marketing Board<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Livestock Development Board – A Government of Kerala Undertaking|url=https://livestock.kerala.gov.in/|website=livestock.kerala.gov.in|access-date=2025-12-02}}</ref>
* [[Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation]]
==See also==
* [[Government of Kerala]]
* [[Department of Animal Husbandry (Kerala)]]
* [[Department of Agriculture Development & Farmers' Welfare (Kerala)]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category: Government departments of Kerala]]

Department of Dairy Development (Kerala) - Revision history

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