Small animals such as sheep and goat will be added to the list of animals distributed to poor families under the Pashu Bhagya scheme of the State government, Municipal Administration Minister Eshwar Khandre said here on Sunday.
He pointed out that the Sheep and Wool Development Corporation had suggested this to the State government. He was speaking at the inauguration of development works in the cattle market in Mailar Mallanna temple in Bhalki taluk.
“We have decided, for example, to distribute 2,500 cows and buffalos at 25-50 per cent subsidy in Bidar district. We will also provide sheep and goat, to interested beneficiaries,” he said. He promised that the process of selection of beneficiaries would be transparent. Animal husbandry has proven to be a time tested tool of poverty alleviation, the Minister said.
He said that the State government had increased the budget of the Sheep and Wool Development Corporation to Rs. 100 crore, and expanded its activities to include awareness creation among farmers, distribution of inputs and providing market access. Karnataka is the first in the country to compensate farmers for the death of small animals and to provide market access to goat milk, Mr. Khandre said.
Pandit Chidri, corporation chairman, said that the government was investing Rs. 50 lakh in each one of the 38 cattle markets in the State to provide hi-tech facilities to small animal rearers. He said that the corporation had offices in all districts, where farmers can get vaccines and medicines for sheep and goat.
He said that the sheep and goat farmers federal cooperative, being formed by the government, would help small animal farmers organise themselves, buy inputs in bulk and sell their produce to the highest bidder.
