CHENNAI: The State government has allocated Rs 1,157 crore for the schemes to distribute milch cows and goats/sheep to the needy in villages. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will be launching the scheme on September 15, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister CN Annadurai. While Rs 925 crore is sanctioned for free goats/sheep scheme, `232 crore has been allocated for distribution of milch cows, a Government Order issued on Monday said. “It has been decided to distribute four goats or sheep free of cost to seven lakh poor, landless families living in the rural areas and 60,000 milch cows of cross-bred Jersey breed to needy families over a period of five years,” the order said. For the current financial year, Rs 135 crore will be spent distributing goats/sheep while `56 crore will be spent for giving away milch cows. The cost of goats/sheep and cows include insurance cost, transportation cost and contingency expenses like photograph charges, fuel, among others. The cost of the scheme will be drawn from various heads under 11th Five Year Plan, Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Area Sub Plan.The free milch cows will be distributed to the poor beneficiaries on a priority basis in districts that have lesser number of cooperative societies than the total number of revenue villages. “It is proposed to supply lactating cows that are in their first/second lactation so as to ensure continuous production of milk for next five lactations. The age of the animal should not be more than five years,” it said.Unlike the scheme for procurement of milch cows whe-rein cows only from other States are proposed to be procured, it has been decided to procure goats/sheep predominantly from the local markets available within the State in the proximity of the beneficiaries. If good quality animals are brought and supplied by the breeders in the village itself, the supply of goats/sheep through such breeders will be permitted.
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