Anantnag: Pulwama district, also known as the “Anand of Kashmir” for being the leader in milk production, has got its first milk vending machine – popularly called the “milk ATM” – much to the delight of the general public.
The machine has been installed near Shaheed Park in Chatpora area of main town Pulwama by a professional milk supplier, Shabir Ahmad Wagay, in collaboration with the department of Animal and Sheep Husbandry.
“Wagay had approached us for help in setting up this venture. It was done under the Integrated Dairy Development Scheme,” an official at Pulwama’s Animal Husbandry department told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the vend has been installed at a total cost of 5.20 lakh rupees and it will benefit hundreds of people who earlier had difficulty finding good-quality milk in the market.
“To keep check on the quality, analysers have also been installed at the machine, so that whoever buys milk from the vending machine gets the best quality milk,” the official said, adding that the capacity of the machine is 500 litres.
Kashmir Reader tried to contact Wagay but he did not answer his phone.
The installation of this milk ATM is being touted as the next big leap for Pulwama in being the leader in dairy farming. The district produces around 8.5 lakh litres of milk a day from household as well as professional dairy farming.
“Wagay had the idea to take it to the next level and we have helped him in doing so,” the official said. “Hundreds of other entrepreneurs in Pulwama have taken to dairy farming over the years and have created quite a niche for themselves and for the district,” he said.
The south Kashmir district is called the “Anand of Kashmir” after Gujarat’s Anand district where a “milk revolution” led to the formation of one of the biggest brands in India, Amul.

Reader correspondent