Ludhiana, March 27: The Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation, known as Milkfed, has suspended the General Manager and two senior managers of its Ludhiana dairy unit after a significant consignment of Verka milk powder was rejected by the Indian Army. The suspension orders, effective immediately, target General Manager Daljit Singh, Quality Manager Guriqbal Singh, and Production Manager Paritosh Mishra under the Federation’s 2023 Service Rules.
The action follows the rejection of a 125-metric-tonne shipment of whole milk powder earlier this year. Military authorities initially flagged the consignment on February 12, citing the presence of extraneous substances. Although Milkfed appealed for a retest of the samples, the results were again returned as a rejection on March 16. Officials stated that such lapses in quality management significantly compromise the credibility of the Verka brand.
Milkfed Managing Director Rahul Gupta affirmed that the federation maintains a multi-layered quality assurance framework, though he acknowledged the gravity of this specific incident. He maintained that the Army remains Milkfed’s most valued customer, with annual supplies of cheese, lassi, and UHT milk totaling approximately ₹100 crore. Gupta asserted that overall supplies to the military are continuing despite this setback.
The three suspended officials will be stationed at the federation’s head office while formal disciplinary proceedings are conducted. The management noted that the suspension was necessary to address alleged misconduct and ensure that production standards align with prescribed specifications moving forward.
