The Puducherry government has decided to supply around 6,000 milch cows to farmers to improve domestic productivity of milk, Minister for Social Welfare M. Kandasamy has said.
“As part of efforts to improve the quantum of milk produced locally, the government has decided to provide milch cows to dairy farmers. Details of the scheme will be worked out soon,” he told The Hindu .
Of the total 1.10 lakh litres of milk needed for domestic consumption here, around 55,000 litres of milk are procured from neighbouring States. Supply of milch cows would help the government save money and improve the livelihoods of farmers, he added.
The scheme was discussed at a meeting the Minister had with officials of Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Pondicherry Cooperative Milk Society and Registrar of Cooperative Societies on Tuesday evening, the Minister said.
“We will help farmers get loan from banks. The government will pay the interest, besides the subsidy given by the Centre. The money for procuring cows will be set aside in the next budget,” he said
The government is committed to the uplift of the standards of living of dairy farmers and several welfare schemes have been started for this purpose, he added.
