Cabinet approves inclusion of additional activities in National Livestock Mission

Pashu Sandesh, 27 Feb 2024

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved further modification of the National Livestock Mission by including the additional activities as follows:

1. The establishment of entrepreneurship for horse donkey, mule, and camel with a 50% capital subsidy of up to 50 lakhs will be provided to the Inpiduals, FPO, SHG, JLG, FCO and Section 8 companies. Also, the state government will be assisted with breed conservation of horses, donkeys and camels. The Central Government will provide 10 cr. for the establishment of a semen station and nucleus breeding farm for horses, donkeys and camels.
2. Establishment of entrepreneurs for Fodder seed processing Infrastructure (Processing & Grading unit/Fodder storage godown) with 50% capital subsidy up to Rs.50 lakhs to the private companies, start-ups /SHGs /FPOs /FCOs /JLGs / Farmers Cooperative societies (FCO), Section 8 companies establishment of Infrastructure like construction of building, receiving shed, drying platform, machinery etc. including the grading plants as well as seed storage godown. The remaining cost of the project needs to be arranged by the beneficiary through bank finance or self-funding.
3. To increase the fodder cultivation areas, the state government will be assisted with fodder cultivation in the non—forest land, wasteland/range land/non-arable as well as forest land "Non-Forest Wasteland/Rangeland/Non-arable Land" and "Fodder Production from Forest Land" as well as in the degraded forest land. This will increase the fodder availability in the country.
4. The Livestock Insurance programme has been simplified. The beneficiary share of the premium for the farmers has been reduced and it will be 15% as against the current beneficiary share of 20%,30%, 40% and 50%. The remaining amount of the premium will be shared by the Centre and the State at 60:40 for all states, 90:10. The number of animals to be insured has also been increased to 10 cattle units instead of 5 cattle units for cattle sheep and goats. This will facilitate the livestock farmers to get their valuable animals insured by paying a minimum amount.

Background:

The NLM was commenced in 2014-15 with four Sub-Missions (i) Sub-Mission on Fodder and Feed Development (ii) Sub-Mission on Livestock Development (ii) Sub-Mission on Pig Development in the North-Eastern Region (iii) Sub-Mission on Skill Development, Technology Transfer and Extension having 50 activities.

The Scheme was re-aligned during 2021-22 and was approved by CCEA in July 2021 under the Development Programme with an outlay of Rs.2300 crore.

The present re-aligned NLM has three Sub-Missions viz. (i) Sub-Mission on Breed improvement of Livestock and Poultry (ii) Sub-Mission of Feed & Fodder and (iii) Sub-Mission on Innovation and Extension. The re-aligned NLM has 10 activities and targets entrepreneurship development, feed and fodder development, research and innovation, and livestock insurance.