CM KCR gives nod for second phase of sheep distribution scheme

He had sanctioned Rs 6,000 crore for the purpose and instructed Finance Minister T Harish Rao to release required funds accordingly.

Hyderabad: In what should bring cheer to the shepherd community, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday directed Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav and the officials concerned to kick-start the second phase of the subsidised sheep distribution programme in the State at the earliest.

He also instructed Finance Minister T Harish Rao to release the funds required since Rs 6,000 crore had been allocated for the scheme in the State budget.

Despite sheep prices going up, the Chief Minister approved the proposal to continue with the same number of sheep in each unit, comprising 20 sheep and one ram, but with an increased unit price of Rs 1.75 lakh against the existing Rs 1.25 lakh. The enhanced price will be applicable to about 14,000 eligible applicants who have already paid their share of 25 per cent of the unit cost.

Telangana had surpassed Rajasthan to reach the number one position in the country in sheep population, Chandrashekhar Rao said speaking at a high-level meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here.

The Chief Minister had an extensive discussion with officials on the issues concerning the uplift of BC communities in the State, the government’s action plan and also the second phase of the subsidised sheep distribution programme. With the allocation of Rs 6,000 crore for the second phase and about Rs 5,000 crore already spent in the first phase, the sheep distribution programme is being implemented with a total budget allocation of Rs 11,000 crore to benefit the Golla and Kuruma communities in the State.

Chandrashekhar Rao said the livelihood of people in the State is largely dependent on caste-based traditional professions; hence, the government is coming up with different schemes to support the BC communities for their all-round development. He pointed out that as a result of the tireless efforts to rehabilitate and nurture the caste-based professions that were destroyed by successive governments in undivided Andhra Pradesh, the rural economy in the State is thriving now and qualitative changes are taking place in the lives of the people. He said the government is ready to encourage such professions further given their importance in the rural economy of the State.

“With successive governments in undivided AP ignoring agriculture as well as caste-based professions in Telangana, the rural economy was on the verge of collapse. They could not understand the uniqueness and diversity of the occupations of Telangana communities. Caste-based professions survived in the State as they are intertwined with the lives of BC communities,” Chandrashekhar Rao said.

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