New Delhi. The central government is continuously bringing new schemes to increase the income of farmers and cattle herders. In this direction, the government has now taken a big initiative to promote donkey rearing. Under the National Livestock Mission, a provision has been made to give subsidy of up to Rs 50 lakh to farmers and entrepreneurs for setting up donkey breeding farms. The objective of this scheme is to stop the declining number of donkeys in the country and promote animal husbandry as a profitable business.
Capital subsidy will be available up to 50 percent
As per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, capital grant up to 50 percent of the project cost will be given under this scheme. However, the maximum limit of this subsidy has been fixed at Rs 50 lakh. This means that if an entrepreneur or farmer starts a big project, he can get good financial assistance from the government.
Who can avail the benefits of the scheme
The benefits of this scheme are not limited to individual farmers only. Under this, Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), Self Help Groups, Joint Liability Groups, Cooperative Societies and Section-8 companies can also apply. The government wants more and more people to invest in this sector and promote livestock business.
Necessary conditions for the scheme
Some necessary conditions have also been fixed for setting up a donkey breeding farm. The project is required to have at least 50 female donkeys and 5 male donkeys. Along with this, this scheme has been mainly designed to encourage the conservation and rearing of indigenous breed of donkeys. This will also help in saving local breeds in the country.
Subsidy will be given in two installments
The subsidy given by the government will not be given all at once, but it will be released in two phases. The first installment will be given when the loan for the project is approved by the bank. After this, when the form is completely ready and it is inspected by the concerned authorities, then the second installment will be released.
Concern over the declining number of donkeys
According to the government, the number of donkeys in the country has decreased rapidly in the last few years. Due to the increasing use of modern machines and vehicles, the use of donkeys in works like construction and transportation has reduced. According to the 20th livestock census conducted in the year 2019, the number of donkeys in India had decreased to about 1.23 lakh, which is about 60 percent less than in 2012.
Other schemes for cattle farmers
The government is also running many other schemes to increase the income of cattle farmers. Through Pashu Kisan Credit Card, small animal farmers can take a loan of up to Rs 1.6 lakh at a concessional interest rate without any guarantee. Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, facilities like improvement of indigenous breeds of cow and buffalo and artificial insemination are being promoted.
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