In a major boost to Haryana Government’s plan to promote and improve the indigenous cattle breeds, the Centre has approved a project namely ‘Gosamvardhan and Gosanrakshan’ worth Rs77.9 crore for the State. The project is aimed at conservation, up-gradation and integrated development of Hariana, Sahiwal and Gir breeds of indigenous cattle.
The project would be implemented in a phased manner over next five years in the state. It envisages expanding and improving the quality of artificial insemination services and making it available at farmers’ doorstep, to bring all breedable cows under organised breeding through artificial insemination or natural service using disease-free high genetic merit bulls.
Haryana Animal Husbandry Minister OP Dhankar said that the State Government has taken a lead to improve upon the indigenous cattle in the State. For conservation, up-gradation and integrated development of Hariana, Sahiwal and Gir breeds of indigenous cattle, a project worth Rs77.9 crores was submitted to the Centre which has been approved by Project Sanctioning Committee, Union Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries on Thursday.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approving this project which would prove as a boon for up-gradation of low yielding indigenous cattle into high yielding cows of native breeds through selective breeding. Besides, it would provide an important economic boost to the farmers and prove to be a major source of their livelihood.
Dhankar said that for special emphasis on Gosamvardhan in the next financial year, the state government has decided to provide a subsidy to the tune of 50 per cent for establishment of mini dairy units of indigenous cows to the farmers for the establishment of mini dairy units comprising of upto five indigenous cows.
Also, to further encourage the farmers to rear good quality indigenous cattle i.e. Hariana and Sahiwal of high milk yield, the State Government has decided to start performance recording of these breeds and for that incentive money ranging from Rs10,000 to Rs20,000 on the basis of milk yield would be provided to the owners of indigenous cows from the year 2015-16, he added.
The schemes are planned keeping in view Haryana’s aim to become number one in the country in terms of availability of milk per capita per day. At present, the State is ranked at second position in milk production.
Apart from this, an amount of Rs1 crore has been proposed for this scheme. For Gosanrakshan, the State Government has planned to set up Gau-Abhyaranyas at suitable locations in Haryana for providing shelter, fodder and veterinary health care stray cattle through Haryana Gau Seva Ayog.