Pay your share for sheep units, beneficiaries told

Hyderabad: Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said all the beneficiaries should pay their share in the form of demand draft for obtaining sheep units being distributed under subsidy by the State government.

The Minister held a review meeting with Animal Husbandry Department officials here on Monday. He said the State government was bearing 75 per cent of the cost under the sheep units distribution programme and the balance was borne by the beneficiaries.

In the first phase, the State government spent about Rs 5,000 crore towards implementation of the programme.

Considering the escalating prices, an appeal was made to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to increase the sheep unit price from existing Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh, he said, adding, “The Chief Minister immediately accepted the request.”

So far, 4,761 beneficiaries had paid the additional Rs 12,500 under their share due to escalating prices, through demand drafts. Among these, sheep units have been distributed to 1,119 beneficiaries, he said.

All the eligible beneficiaries should pay their shares in the form demand drafts, he said. The Minister directed the officials to initiate measures for distributing the sheep units immediately to the beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the Minister also instructed the fisheries department officials to complete the free fish and shrimp distribution programme by November 20.

So far, about 50.60 crore fishlings have been released into 18,336 water bodies and another 1.92 crore shrimp have been released into 30 reservoirs.

The Minister specifically directed the officials to release the fishlings and shrimp as per the government guidelines. Videos and photos of the entire exercise should be captured, he said.

Stern action would be initiated against officials who violate government guidelines, he warned.