Govt launches Rs 500 cr mission to protect local cattle breeds

Amid concerns over extinction of of indigenous cattle breeds, the government today launched 'Rashtriya Gokul Mission' with an outlay of Rs 500 crore to be implemented in the ongoing 12th Five Year Plan for protection, preservation and conservation of the indegenous breeds.
"We have about 200 million cattle. Of this, 83 per cent are indigenous. The mission aims to conserve and develop the indigenous cattle breeds in a focused and scientific manner," Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh told reporters.
An outlay of Rs 500 crore has been set aside for this purpose for the current five year plan period (2012-17) under the National Programme for Bovide Breeding and Dairy Development. Of which, Rs 150 crore will be allocated for this year, he said.

The guidelines of the mission will be discussed in detail in a meeting of state agriculture ministers to be called on September 16, he added.
Under the mission, funds will be allocated for setting up of integrated indigenous cattle centres i.E 'Gokul Grams', establishing breeder's societies called 'Gopalan Sangh', strengthening of bull mother farmers to conserve high genetic merit indigenous breeds and assisting institutes which are repositories of best germplasm among other activities.
The mission will be implemented via state implementing agencies (SIAs).

Under the mission, Gokul Grams will be set up near native breeding tracts and near metropolitan cities housing urban cattles. The cattle centres with a capacity to take care 1,000 cattle, will maintain milch and unproductive animals in the ratio of 60:40.

The Gokul Gram will be self sustaining and will generate economic resources from sale of milk, organic manure, vermi-composting, urine distillates, and production of electricity from bio-gas, the minister said.
Out of 37 recognised indigenous cattle breeds, breeds such as 'Krishna Valley" breed in Karnataka, 'Nimari' in Madhya Pradesh, 'Vechur' in Kerala, 'Punganur' in Andhra Pradesh and 'Pulikulam' in Tamil Nadu are rapidly declining in the country warranting immediate attention.