BANGALORE: Thirteen thousand Dalit families have a reason to rejoice this Diwali as the state government is launching a scheme to subsidise their purchase of milch cows. The scheme will cost the exchequer Rs 104 crore in the first year. Of the 13,000 beneficiaries, 10,000 will be from the Scheduled Castes and the rest from the Scheduled Tribes.
Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya announced the scheme on Tuesday and said a pair of milch cows, which come for Rs 1 lakh, would be given to each family. The families will have to put in Rs 25,000, while the government bears Rs 75,000.
Anjaneya had earlier proposed to help Dalit families in dairying with an additional incentive of Rs 2 on every litre of milk they produce. The state government, with inputs from several quarters, modified the proposal, and has now come up with the cow purchase scheme. He said precautions would be taken to ensure that healthy cows are bought. “The animals will be checked by the Animal Husbandry Department,” he said. “And we will incorporate checks and balances to prevent misuse of the programme.”
SIDDaramaiah govt’S BIG GIFTS SO FAR
Govt to bear education cost up to Rs 50 lakh per student for higher studies abroad
Loans secured through SC, ST Development Corporation to the tune of Rs 345 crore waived
Outstanding dues of over Rs 500 crore related to various housing schemes for SC, ST communities waived
Incentive for inter-caste marriage of SC girls raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh