A sum of Rs 12 crore will be sourced from government funds to implement project
Tamil Nadu assembly
Chennai: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, state government has announced cattle insurance for milch cows in the state. “At present only milch cows distributed under the free livestock scheme are covered for insurance and a similar scheme will be taken up for 16 districts that are not covered under both the centrally sponsored livestock insurance scheme and the state government livestock scheme,” state animal husbandry minister T.K.M. Chinniah informed the assembly on Friday.
A sum of Rs 12 crore will be sourced from state government funds to implement the project for the year 2014-15. The farmer will bear 50 per cent of the premium cost and the balance 50 per cent premium will be state government subsidy, the minister explained.
As on date 58,568 animals are insured and government has fixed a target of covering 1.86 lakh animals in the state. He also announced a conservation programme for Bargur cattle that are now facing extinction. A cattle research station will be established in Bargur at Erode to conserve indigenous livestock varieties in the state; the facility will come up at a cost of Rs 6 crore, he said.
He also said that more diagnostic centres equipped with latest imaging facilities will opened in the state to reduce the incidence of zoonotic diseases. Mr Chinniah said that the ruling AIADMK would continue its populist scheme of providing milch cows free of cost to people below the poverty line. A total of 36,000 cows have been distributed in the last three years and distribution would continue to attain the target of 60,000, he added.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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