The Yogi Adityanath government has embarked upon a mission to enhance cattle breeds, boost milk production, and augment the population of indigenous cow breeds.
Recently, the government prepared a detailed action plan for three pivotal schemes under the Nand Baba Milk Mission, according to which, it would be spending Rs 31 crore in the remaining five months of this fiscal year.
Notably, Rs 10 crore will be allocated for both the Chief Minister Swadeshi Cow Promotion Scheme and Chief Minister Progressive Animal Husbandry Promotion Scheme, while Rs 11 crore are earmarked for the Nandini Krishak Samridhi Yojana. Within the ambit of this initiative, the Yogi government is set to establish 2,500 desi cow centres, distribute 8,000 awards and establish 35 dairies.
Shashi Bhushan Lal Sushil, the milk commissioner and mission director, mentioned that individuals interested could apply for the Chief Minister Swadeshi Cow Promotion Scheme until October 17. To avail the benefits, the applicants will have to visit Vikas Bhawan in their respective cities, where the chief development officer (CDO) will assist them in filling up the forms and guide them through the process. The list of selected candidates will be released by the department on October 25.
Initially, only beneficiaries from 18 divisional headquarters districts of the state can benefit from this scheme. If this phase proves successful, it will be implemented in all the districts of the state.
“The department aims to select a minimum of 56 beneficiaries in each of the 18 divisional headquarters districts, with a target to acquire a maximum of 112 cows. In this fiscal year, the objective is to purchase 138 to 140 cows per district, amounting to a total target of 2,500 cows across all divisional headquarters districts. The Yogi government has allocated Rs 10 crore for this initiative, with the funds being directly transferred to the beneficiary’s account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The government is also planning an extension of the deadline for receiving applications under the Chief Minister Progressive Animal Husbandry Incentive Scheme. Earlier, the deadline was set for September 20.
The milk commissioner mentioned that a new date would be announced on October 16, following approval by Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra. Furthermore, the release date for the list of selected candidates, initially set for October 25, may also be extended. This scheme has been rolled out across all districts of the state.
Under the scheme, a target has been set to select 27 beneficiaries from each district. The incentive amount is divided into two categories: Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000. For this fiscal year, an annual target of providing 106 to 107 awards per district has been established. The overall objective is to distribute 8,000 awards throughout the state. The Yogi government has allocated Rs 10 crore for this initiative, with the funds being directly transferred to the beneficiary’s account through DBT.
Similarly, the Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana has been introduced in ten cities across the state during its first phase, including Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Meerut, Agra, and Bareilly. A selection committee has been constituted for this scheme.
“The deadline for beneficiary applications under this scheme has been set for October 5, while the verification report from the committee is expected to be submitted to the department by October 20. In the initial phase, three to four beneficiaries will be chosen per district from among the 10 districts, resulting in a total of 35 beneficiaries being selected. The Yogi government has earmarked Rs 11 crore for this initiative.
It may be noted that in the Chief Minister Swadeshi Cow-Promotion Scheme, a substantial grant of up to Rs 40,000 is provided for purchasing superior breeds of indigenous cows (such as Gir, Sahiwal, Tharparkar, and Haryana species) from other states.
Likewise, through the Chief Minister Progressive Animal Husbandry Incentive Scheme, indigenous breed progressive cow herders receive incentives ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, disbursed through DBT following specified criteria.
Additionally, under the Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana, a generous grant of up to Rs 31.25 lakh per unit is allocated to support the establishment of a dairy with 25 cows, focusing on breed enhancement and elevating milk productivity in cattle.
The Yogi government has earmarked a substantial budget of Rs 1,000 crore under the Nand Baba Milk Mission, dedicated to bolstering milk production in the state and enhancing the quality of indigenous cow breeds.
