Sri Adari Tulasi Rao - 36 years Journey with Visakha Dairy

Sri Adari Tulasi Rao at the age of 23 years he was elected as Director of Co-operative Urban Bank, belonging to an agricultural family, also served as Sarpanch for Yalamanchili village for more than 25 years. He later took over mantle of Visakha Dairy on 29th Aug 1986 and has the distinction of serving as Chairman of Visakha Dairy for a record period of 36 years. Milk procurement being predominantly north coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Tulasi Rao travelled extensively covering all villages regularly all thru his 36 years of service interacting and motivating small and marginal farmers into dairying by supporting them in extending loans for purchase of animals, supplying quality cattle feed at subsidised rates, providing veterinary services, education, providing employment to the farmers children, digging borewells for drinking water to animals, cattle sheds, community halls, strengthened irrigation by construction of reservoirs, bridges, culverts, community halls, drinking water tanks etc. Visited all progressive dairies in India, participated in meetings with NDDB, Federations, IDA seminars and implemented the latest developments and technologies in Dairying. To retain the milk quality and reduce risk of spoilages, 100 Bulk Milk Cooling Centers covering every 10 km radius were constructed. Realising the need for providing quality feed to improve milk yield, 2 cattle feed plants with 300 MTPD are organized and supplying feed at subsidized rates. After closure of Godavari Milk Union, Rajahmundry, thousands of milk producers lost their livelihood and stood behind them and started milk procurement and also set up a greenfield project near Rajahmundry in 2013 with 2.0 lakhs liters handling capacity and running successfully. As a green initiative, commissioned 1.65 MW Solar power plant. Established Training Centre employing 35 Veterinary Doctors to impart training to farmers in the areas of milching, cattle Feeding, Fodder development and Cattle Health Care and trained more than 350 paramedical workers. Necessary Infrastructure created to improve breed development through Artificial Insemination with successful crossbreed semen from National Dairy Development Board. 15 Mobile veterinary vehicles introduced and covering 300 villages every day. By virtue of his above efforts, Milk Procurement increased from 40,000 litres per day then, crossed 8 Lakh litres per day and introduced very wide range of products UHT Milk, Extended Shelf-Life Milk, Aseptic Flavoured Milk, Curd, Butter Milk, Lassi, Ice-cream, Bakery, Milk Shakes, Yoghurt, Doodh Peda, Badam Burfi, Milk Cake, Mysore Pak, Kalakand, Misti Doi, Ghee, Paneer etc. Realising the need for creating education and employment for farmers' children and medical facilities for farmers, Sri Tulasi Rao started Milk Producers Employees Educational Health & Medical Welfare Trust in 1989. Trust constructed a 100 bed hospital (Krushi Hospital) in 1998 and has been now expanded to 550 bed multi speciality hospital with Rs.100 crores investment for the benefit of farmers. Meritorious children of Milk Producers and employees are being supported financially by reimbursing tuition fee and hostel fee.

Major irrigation projects undertaken by Trust: During his tenure 61 works viz., construction of mini reservoirs, slab culverts, gates to anicuts, single lane bridges, road bridges, pipe culverts, foot over bridges, closure of breaches and strengthening of banks, RCC retaining walls etc. with a total cost of Rs.1481 lakhs from Trust funds, benefitting 90 villages and more than 1.12 lakh farmers are utilising the above facilities provided during his tenure.

Rural Infrastructure: Historically, coastal districts are prone to frequent floods and cyclones and to provide shelter during difficult times 92 community halls with contribution of Rs.10.32 crores from Trust were constructed benefitting more than 1,82,000 farmers covering 113 villages and hamlets are using the facilities.

In addition to the above, 18 minor irrigation works viz., water tanks, desilting of irrigation canals, strengthening riverbanks covering more than 30 villages at a cost of Rs.2.34 crores apart from digging 1200 borewells for irrigation and drinking water purpose. For facilitating free movement of sugar can, paddy, other agricultural activities, 11 gravel roads were laid connecting 24 villages to Main Road by spending Rs.96 Lakhs. Believing Construction and development of Temples to be abode of gods and brings blessings and prosperity to community, 21 temples under dilapidated condition were renovated with total cost of Rs.144.5 Lakhs. To support economically weak farmers 365 cattle sheds, 2500 bore heads were distributed and 287 cremation shelters were provided with total cost of Rs.713 Lakhs. Education and Health: For the benefit of farmers and children, 7 colleges and schools were renovated