Milkfed Suspends Three Senior Officials After Army Rejects Verka Milk Powder Consignment

The Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (Milkfed) has suspended three senior officials of the Verka milk plant in Ludhiana following the rejection of a consignment of milk powder by the Indian Army. The action was taken with immediate effect after concerns were raised over the quality of the supplied product. The suspended officials include General Manager Daljit Singh, Manager (Quality) Gurikbal Singh, and Manager (Production) Paritosh Mishra. Milkfed stated that the action was taken due to alleged negligence in duty and actions that adversely affected the interests of the organisation. According to information, the Indian Army had rejected a consignment of 125 metric tonnes of milk powder supplied by the Ludhiana plant. The rejected stock comprised two batches of 58.338 metric tonnes and 66.654 metric tonnes. The Army flagged quality issues in the product, prompting further scrutiny. Following the rejection, opposition parties also raised concerns and criticised the state government. Union Minister for Railways Ravneet Bittu also questioned the Punjab government over the issue. Milkfed Managing Director Rahul Gupta, in his official orders, stated that the suspension has been carried out under Rule 61 of the Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Employees Service Rules, 2023. During the suspension period, the officials have been posted at the headquarters. It is learnt that Milkfed authorities were informed on February 12 about the rejection of the consignment sent earlier this year by the Ludhiana District Cooperative Milk Producers Union. Upon appeal by Milkfed, a 753 kg sample was re-tested, but it was again rejected on March 16. The sample was reportedly found to contain certain extraneous substances. Milkfed officials maintained that this was an isolated incident. They stated that the federation supplies Verka products worth around Rs 100 crore annually to the Indian Army, including UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) packed milk, paneer, lassi, and flavoured milk. Speaking to The Tribune, Managing Director Rahul Gupta said that supply to the Army continues and that the force remains an important client for Milkfed. He added that the organisation follows strict quality checks at multiple stages, from raw material procurement to final product processing, to maintain consumer trust. The official orders further noted that Daljit Singh and Gurikbal Singh would remain posted at the headquarters during the suspension period, and disciplinary proceedings against the officials are also under consideration.