New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala will confer National Gopal Ratna awards on November 26 in Guwahati.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is organising National Gopal Ratna Award 2023 as a part of National Milk Day celebration 2023. The award ceremony will be held at Veterinary College Ground in Guwahati, an official statement said on Friday.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Sanjeev Kumar Balyan will also be present at the award ceremony.

'National Gopal Ratna Award is one of the highest national awards in the field of livestock and the dairy sector,' the statement said.

The award is conferred in three categories -- best dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds, best dairy cooperative/milk producer company/ dairy farmer producer organisation), and best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT).

The award consists of a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh for the first rank, Rs 3 lakh for the 2nd rank, and Rs 2 lakh for the 3rd rank, along with a certificate of merit and a memento in the first two categories.

In case of the best AIT category, National Gopal Ratna Award-2023 will consist of a certificate of merit and a memento only.

In best dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds category, Ram Singh, Karnal (Haryana) has got the first rank; Nilesh Maganbhai Ahir, Surat (second), Brinda Siddharth Shah, Valsad, Gujarat (3rd) and Rahul Manohar Khairnar, Nashik, Maharashtra (3rd rank).

In best dairy cooperative society/milk producer company/ dairy farmer producer organisation category, Pulpally Ksheerolpadaka Sahakarana Sangam D Ltd, Wayanad, Kerala, got the first rank; T M Hosoor Milk Producers Cooperative Society Ltd Cooperative Society, Mandya, Karnataka, second, MS 158 Nathamkovilpatti Milk Producers Cooperative Society, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, third.

Suman Kumar Sah, Araria, Bihar, has got the first rank, Anil Kumar Pradhan, Anugul, Odisha, second and Muddapu Prasadarao, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, third in the best AIT category.

The applications were invited through the online application portal developed by Ministry of Home Affairs during the August 15 to Oct 15 period. A total of 1,770 applications were received. PTI MJH TRB