CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government today announced that milk sachets costing Rs 10 will be launched to help the poor access nutritious milk.
In addition to this, a plan to improve fertility of sterile cows and a backyard poultry scheme for benefit of people living below the poverty line was also announced in the assembly. "To help poor people access nutritious milk, 225 ml milk sachets priced at Rs 10 will be launched," Dairy Minister K T Rajenthrabhalaji said. Setting up of a 6,000 litre capacity ice cream factory at Salem at a cost of Rs 10 crore were among the other announcemnts, he made.
Animal Husbandry minister P Balakrishna Reddy apprised the House that under a Rs six crore plan for dryland cattle, sterile cow breeds will be provided medication and mineral mixture after finding out reasons for their infertility.
Through this, sale of cow breeds with high yield capacity will be prevented and when such cattle begin giving milk yield, it will help farmers economically, he added. While explaining about the free distribution of milch cows and goat schemes in Tamil Nadu, the minister said, "on account of the severe drought situation in the state, the schemes have been temporarily stopped with effect from December 2016 and will be resumed after receipt of adequate rainfall." When asked if all the free cattle schemes have been put on hold, government sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told PTI that schemes including ones for free distribution of milch cows and goats have been temporarily put on hold.
The Animal Husbandry minister also announced that a backyard poultry development scheme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 6.47 crore. The plan was to "increase the income of people living below the poverty line, to help them get continuous income and to ensure them get adequate protein," he said.