Tirupati: In Telugu Shreeja means Lakshmi – the goddess of prosperity. Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Organisation, headquartered at Lord Venkateswara’s holy town of Tirupati, and is a beacon of hope, respect and financial freedom for thousands of rural women. From having to ask for money for their children’s notebooks to proudly walking into banks to deposit their university fees, 29,000 women of Shreeja have now become ‘Lakhpati Didis’ earning over ₹1 lakh per Annum through milk Bills.
Established in 2014 as an all-women milk producer organization (MPO) with technical support of NDDB Dairy Services, Shreeja has grown into world’s largest women-owned dairy organisation with 1.20 lakh women members across 14 districts in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Most (95%) of these women are small and marginal farmers with only two or three milch animals, yet their determination and Shreeja’s support have unlocked a new chapter in their lives. Every role, from sahayaks to Chairperson in Shreeja is led by women, guided by their core value system of empowerment at the grassroots.
With around 4,053 pooling points, Shreeja procures 7,27,000 KGPD of high-quality milk daily ensuring transparent & timely fortnightly payments directly into the women’s bank accounts. This gives them socio-economic upliftment and financial freedom.
Through collaborations with Regional Rural Banks, Shreeja have facilitated the establishment of jan dhan banking accounts for its farmer members, enabling the direct disbursement of milk procurement payments to their individual savings accounts. Since inception, Shreeja have channeled ₹5,004 crores in the form of milk bill payments to dairy farmer members.
Through training in animal care, hygiene, and digital tools, along with educating company Directors on the matters of governance, institution building, financial and operational matters, NDDB Dairy Services (NDS), a wholly owned subsidiary of NDDB, has provided vital technical support to Shreeja. Thanks to this training, women monitor milk quality and actively participate in cooperative decisions, gaining both skills and confidence. The Board of Directors, who are also women dairy farmers and members of Shreeja, actively make strategic decisions using technology for data analysis further strengthening their confidence and decision-making capabilities.
NDDB has played an umbilical role in the journey of Shreeja right from its establishment. Recently, the organization, with the help of NDDB, undertook seed production in the Kadiri and Kadapa regions on a trial basis covering 200 acres of maize and 100 acres of sunflower. The results were encouraging, with farmers receiving higher returns. Consequently, this year, Shreeja has also planned 1,000 acres of seed production for maize and sunflower. In yet another initiative with the support of NDDB and NDS, Shreeja is planning to install 50 Bulk Milk Chilling Units (BMCUs) in the current financial year under a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project.
Recognising the transformative impact, especially in the lives of rural women, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has sanctioned 47.49 acres of land to Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Organisation for setting up an integrated dairy processing plant with the capacity of 4 Lakh LLPD, skimmed milk powder plant with 30 MT and cattle feed manufacturing plant with 2 MTPD in Kuppam near Pogurupalli village. This ₹300-crore initiative, with ₹230 crores for the processing complex and ₹70 crores for cattle feed production is expected to create around 800 local employment opportunities significantly contributing to regional economic development and enhancing rural livelihoods.
In accordance with the Government of India’s “One Health” initiative, Shreeja has prioritized animal healthcare through a strategic partnership with Indian Immunologicals Limited, developing a comprehensive customized “health kit.” This specialized kit incorporates premium animal supplements designed to optimize livestock productivity and enhance overall animal welfare. Shreeja has committed a substantial investment of ₹6.5 crores to this transformative initiative, benefiting its members.
Shreeja’s impactful journey has garnered international recognition including the prestigious award for Innovation in Women Empowerment in the Dairy Sector at the World Dairy Summit organized by the International Dairy Federation (IDF) in Chicago in 2023 surpassing organizations from 173 countries. Shreeja stands as a beacon of hope showing how structured support, transparent systems and collective strength can turn ordinary women into ‘Lakhpati Didis’ bringing prosperity, dignity and courage to dream into their lives. True to its name, Shreeja is not just giving women Lakshmi, it is empowering them to become Lakshmi themselves lighting the way for others in their villages to walk confidently towards an empowered and prosperous future.
