CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has invited applications from entities interested in taking care of abandoned and orphaned animals under the Vallalar Palluyir Kaapagangal scheme announced in the budget at an outlay of Rs 20 crore. Any non-government organisation or animal welfare organisation that meets the stipulated criteria can seek financial assistance under the scheme.
The Animal Husbandry Department has issued a government order (GO) detailing the selection criteria and mode of appraisal of applications. As per the G.O., Rs 5 crore is allocated for feeding and medical treatment of abandoned, sheltered, injured, stray and pet animals, Rs 4.56 crore will be for the purchase of ambulances to safeguard animals in distress, and Rs 5 crore will be given away for financial assistance for building new and additional infrastructure including construction of shelters.
While Rs 5 crore will be sent every year on animal bird control and immunisation programme for stray and pet dogs/cats, Rs 44 lakh has been allocated for other contingency expenditures. A Gnanasekaran, Commissioner of the Animal Husbandry Department, told TNIE that Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board will monitor the implementation of the scheme.
“On receipt of the application, inspection will be undertaken by a district-level monitoring panel,” he said.
“Applicants will be checked for compliance with all eligibility criteria. The final inspection report will be submitted to a state-level approval committee for sanctioning of funds,” Gnanasekaran said.
The department has sought funding for the scheme from the government for the next financial year too, official sources said.
Shruti Vinodh Raj, a member of the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board, said, during Covid-19 the board had initiated several measures for the welfare of animals in coordination with the animal husbandry department by supplying feeder passes and raw materials to NGOs and other animal welfare groups.
The present scheme has been launched by the government to find a permanent solution to such problems, she said.
“The selection will be made based on scores given for aspects such as a number of years of service, maintenance of animals, medical treatments, shelter provision for in-house animals and cleanliness etc,” she said.