BANAS Dairy emerged as a model employer during COVID Lockdown

Pashu Sandesh, 21st June 2020

Corona Pandemic has not only taken a toll on lives but it has squarely affected the jobs too across the country during the lockdown. Nearly all the sectors have taken a hit with businesses going down to standstill which has created huge financial problems for both the employers and employees. On one hand, the employees are looking up to the employers to provide them with the wages of the lockdown period and on the other, the employer is seeking government help to see his business afloat. The net effect, both are sinking!!! Under these gloomy circumstances, there are few employers who have emerged as model employers and the saviour of their employees in these testing times.

One such employer is Banaskantha District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd (Banas Dairy) of Gujarat which happens to be Asia’s largest dairy, has not only released salaries for the lockdown period but also walked the extra mile and distributed one month extra salaries and incentives to its more than 4000 employees to the tune of 11crores. Banas Dairy ensured no salary cuts for the employees who were quarantined. 2kg Ghee worth rupees 50 lakh was also distributed to the employees free of cost. As per the Chairman of the Banas Dairy Shankar Choudhary, the incentive given to the employees was unanimously decided by the board of directors in recognition of the hard work of the employees who worked hard during this lockdown period. But credit should also go to the exemplary efforts made by Chairman Shankar Choudhary who was monitoring the whole operations through Video conferencing.

Talking to Pashu Sandesh, Dr C P Nikam a Veterinary Doctor working as AGM Banas Dairy provided the details of the extraordinary handling of the logistics by the Banas Dairy during the lockdown period. As per Dr Nikam, there are 197 Vets employed at Banas Dairy and each Vet was provided with pick and drop facility during the lockdown period. Doorstep Veterinary services were provided to the farmers associated with the dairy for which 120 Vehicle were employed. It was ensured that all the Vehicles were sanitised and are still sanitised using specially made sanitisation tunnels. Dr Nikam also informed that before Corona Pandemic, Vets were making 1200 to 1300 visits per day which have increased by 200 visits to 1500 visits during the lockdown period.

During this lockdown period a whopping 60 lakh litres milk was collected daily while ensuring the safety of farmers and drivers of the vehicles from the corona. Masks and sanitisers were distributed to 4lakh members of the 1600 societies. The daily milk procurement was increased by 2lakh litres due to the absence of private players from the market. 

Banas Dairy has indeed emerged as the role model for other employers in the country.