Dhola Dairy Plant in Ruins as Subsidy Scandal Rocks Assam

At a time when government subsidies are reportedly being handed out to spouses and relatives of ministers and MLAs in the name of promoting dairy farming, a once-promising government-run dairy project in Dhola, Tinsukia, is now on the verge of collapse—exposing a glaring contradiction in the Assam government's priorities.

The Dhola Milk Cooling Centre, established under the state dairy development initiative to benefit local milk producers, now lies abandoned and dilapidated. The very machinery once worth crores is now rusting in obscurity, covered in dust and termite-infested. The office building and staff quarters, once vibrant with activity, are now overtaken by wild vegetation—resembling a haunted site more than a government facility.

While the state government extends lakhs in financial aid to dairy farms allegedly owned by wives of ministers and legislators—including that of Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah’s spouse—critical state-run initiatives like the Dhola project are dying a slow death. Locals question why such subsidies are being routed to politically connected individuals while genuine milk producers are left without support.

According to sources, the Dhola plant was originally intended to collect milk from nearby villages in Sadiya and surrounding areas for processing and cooling, thereby boosting income for local dairy farmers and creating employment. It once employed seven staff members, but now only one government employee remains, tasked with overseeing a crumbling facility.

“The machinery is gathering dust, and the infrastructure is falling apart. If the government can give lakhs of rupees to politicians’ families, why can’t it revive its own project to benefit real farmers?” asked a local youth.

The situation reflects a broader systemic issue—governmental neglect of its own micro-industrial projects in favour of politically motivated financial handouts. The Dhola dairy unit, once a symbol of self-reliance and rural empowerment, now stands as a tragic reminder of misplaced priorities.

Critics argue that instead of using taxpayer money to bolster private enterprises linked to ministers' families, the state should focus on reviving government-backed infrastructure that supports real producers on the ground.
The Dhola Milk Cooling Centre is just one example. Across Assam, multiple dairy initiatives reportedly face similar fates due to chronic neglect and misallocation of resources. 

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