LUCKNOW, June 26 -- In a bid to strengthen animal husbandry and boost farmers' income, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to hand over operations of three dairy plants (Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Kannauj) and an animal feed plant in Ambedkarnagar. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who oversaw the MoU signing, said the partnership would usher in a new era of transparency, efficiency, and farmer-centric operations in the state's dairy sector. The NDDB will manage the units without any extra financial burden on the state. "Dairy will become the backbone of our rural economy," the chief minister said, stressing that timely payments, better returns, quality feed, and new employment avenues for youths would follow. Hailing the collaboration as a strategic and far-sighted step, the chief minister said it would place Uttar Pradesh prominently on the global dairy map. NDDB chairman Meenesh Shah said the four units would be developed into model profit-making plants. The Kanpur plant, worth Rs 160.84 crore, has a daily processing capacity of 4 lakh litres. The Gorakhpur and Kannauj units, worth Rs.61.80 crore and Rs.88.05 crore respectively, each have a daily capacity of 1 lakh litres. The Ambedkarnagar feed unit, built at Rs 18.44 crore, produces 100 metric tonnes daily and is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 66.88 lakh this fiscal. CM Yogi also underlined the important role of women in dairy development and credited post-2014 innovations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reviving what was once a neglected livestock sector....