The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has recently greenlit the execution of a special livestock sector package. The primary objective of this initiative is to stimulate growth in the livestock industry, thereby making animal husbandry a more profitable occupation for an estimated 10 crore farmers who are currently involved in the sector.
The Financial Breakdown
The central government will allocate around Rs. 9,800 crores for livestock development over the course of the next five years. The aim is to attract nearly Rs. 55,000 crore of external investment into the sector. This projected figure includes contributions from state governments, state cooperatives, financial institutions, foreign funding agencies, and various other stakeholders.
Scheme Merger
The package was created by reviewing and restructuring different parts of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying’s initiatives for the subsequent five years, beginning from 2021-22. All schemes under the department will be consolidated under three primary categories: Development Programmes, Disease Control Programme, and Infrastructure Development Fund.
The Development Programmes will consist of sub-schemes like Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), National Livestock Mission (NLM) and Livestock Census and Integrated Sample Survey (LC & ISS).
The Disease Control Programme, renamed as Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH & DC), will include the existing LH & DC scheme and National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP).
Under the Infrastructure Development Fund, the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development fund (AHIDF) and the Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) will be clubbed together. The current scheme for support to Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities will also fall under this category.
Projected Impact
The Rashtriya Gokul Mission will assist in the development and conservation of indigenous breeds, hence improving the economic condition of the rural poor. The National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) targets the installation of around 8,900 bulk milk coolers, thereby benefiting over 8 lakh milk producers. Under the scope of NPDD, financial aid will be available from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), paving the way for strengthening and creating fresh infrastructure in 4,500 villages.
Role of Livestock in India’s Economy
A considerable percentage of farmers rely on animal husbandry for their livelihood. It is estimated that almost 55% of the rural population is sustained by this sector. According to the Economic Survey-2021, the contribution of livestock towards the total Gross Value Added (GVA) in agriculture and allied sectors has seen an upward trend, from 24.32% (2014-15) to 28.63% (2018-19).
India owns the largest livestock population globally. The 20th Livestock Census shows a total livestock population of 535.78 million in the country, marking a 4.6% increase from the 2012 Livestock Census.
About National Livestock Mission (NLM)
Launched in the 2014-15 financial year, NLM aims to encourage both quantitative and qualitative improvement in livestock production systems and capacity building of all stakeholders. The mission has been implemented as a sub scheme of White Revolution – Rashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Yojana since April 2019. The mission includes four sub-missions: Livestock Development, Pig Development in North-Eastern Region, Feed and Fodder Development, and Skill Development, Technology Transfer and Extension.
