CHENNAI: Following the announcement in the revised budget presented on August 5, the state government has accorded administrative approval for the release of Rs 57 crore to distribute 10,000 milch cows free of cost to eligible rural women under a welfare scheme. The government has fixed the cost of each milch cow at Rs 57,000.
Under the scheme, each beneficiary will receive a healthy, high-yielding crossbred milch cow capable of producing at least eight litres of milk a day. The initiative is expected to provide beneficiary households with a regular source of income, according to an official statement.
With proper veterinary care and scientific management, each cow is expected to give birth to three or four calves over five years, helping beneficiaries build a long-term asset and generate a sustainable income, the statement added.
A senior official from animal husbandry and veterinary services said, “The process of finalising the number of beneficiaries in each district is under way. Once the Government Order is issued, a committee will be constituted to oversee the procurement of milch cows and the implementation of the scheme.”
The free milch cow distribution scheme was first launched in 2011 and provided cows to around 12,000 dairy farmers annually. It was temporarily suspended in December 2016 following a severe drought, but was later revived. The DMK government discontinued the scheme again in April 2022 as part of its expenditure rationalisation measures and policy changes.