NEW DELHI: Telangana Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister T Srinivas Yadav on Wednesday demanded early approval of projects worth Rs 698.27 crore in a meeting with Union Minister Parshottam Rupala at Krishi Bhawan here.
The state government has proposed dozen-odd projects based on the new central government guidelines issued for the 2021-22 financial year, Yadav said in a presentation made to the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yadav said Telangana has the potential to expand the dairy, fisheries and animal husbandry sector, for which projects have been submitted to the Centre.
"I requested the Union Minister to consider sanction of the projects submitted, and release the budget to the Telangana state to facilitate us to achieve the desired goals of the livestock and fisheries sector," he said.
The state government has submitted projects worth Rs 698.27 crore under different centrally-sponsored schemes. Out of this, Rs 397.83 is central share, Rs 234.08 crore is state share and the balance Rs 65.24 crore is the share of the beneficiaries, according to a representation made to the Union Ministry.
A Rs 352-core project has been proposed for setting up of mobile veterinary clinics in the state under a scheme on Assistance to State for Control of Animal Disease (ASCAD), while about six projects with an outlay of Rs 58.71 crore have been proposed under the National Livestock Mission (NLM), it added.
The new guidelines of the central government aim to achieve employment generation through entrepreneurship development, breed improvement and animal disease control.
The minister also sought the release of pending dues and support from the central government to the new state for the development of this sector.
Telangana is having abundant livestock resources and is one of the most advanced states in animal husbandry activities. About 60 lakh families are dependent on livestock rearing directly and indirectly in the state.
The livestock sector contributes 9.9 per cent to the state GDP, he said. With the proposed projects, a senior state government said Telangana wants to increase milk production and processing capacity.
After the formation of the new state, milk production in Telangana has increased to 4.75 lakh litres per day now from 1 lakh litres per day in 2013-14. The state is also planning to increase state-owned Vijaya Dairy's milk processing capacity from the current 5 lakh litres per day to 8 lakh litres per day, the minister said.