Telangana: Misleading data on livestock population from CMO raises eyebrows

The inaccurate data, posted on X on Friday, starkly contradicts figures presented in the State government's own Socio Economic Outlook 2024 report, tabled in the Assembly just a day prior.

Hyderabad: Officials from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) have apparently shared misleading information on social media, seemingly aimed at discrediting the achievements of the previous BRS government.

The inaccurate data, posted on X on Friday, starkly contradicts figures presented in the State government’s own Socio Economic Outlook 2024 report, tabled in the Assembly just a day prior.

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The Chief Minister’s Public Relations Officer Bolgam Srinivas shared the post, claiming that the latest State government census indicated a decline in the population of goats and sheep. He posted data suggesting that the number of sheep increased from 1,28,35,761 in 2012 to 1,90,90,836 in 2019, marking a 34.99 per cent increase.

However, he also claimed the sheep population had declined to 1,24,14,299 in 2024. Similarly, he stated that the goat population increased from 45,75,695 in 2012 to 49,40,341 in 2019, before dropping to 38,02,609 in 2024.

గొర్రె తోక బెత్తెడు

🐑గొర్రె దాటుడు వ్యవహారం.. ఎన్ని పంచితే ఏంది.. ఎన్ని పెంచితే ఏందీ..? గొర్రెలు పిల్లలు పెట్టలేదు.. గొర్రెల సంఖ్య పెరగలేదు.

🐑 మేకలు, గొర్రెలు తగ్గినట్లు.. ఇటీవల పశుగణన లో లెక్కతేలింది.

🐑 2012: తెలంగాణలో గొర్రెల సంఖ్య 12,835,761.

🐑 2019: గొర్రెల సంఖ్య… pic.twitter.com/lcnCadoSYN

— Bolgam Srinivas (@BolgamReports) July 26, 2024

“The then BRS government launched the sheep distribution scheme in April 2017, with promises to turn the shepherd community into millionaires, spending Rs 5,500 crore. But where did all the sheep go?” Srinivas asked in his post.

However, contrary to these claims, the Socio Economic Outlook 2024 report published by the State government painted a different picture. It revealed that the current sheep population stood at 1.9 crore, and the goat population at 49.35 lakh.

Further, Telangana was contributing 25.67 per cent to the country’s sheep population, highlighting the significant impact of the BRS government’s initiatives. This has raised questions on why the misleading figures were shared on social media by the official from the CMO.

Ironically, the union government which conducts the livestock census once in every five years, has conducted 20 Livestock Censuses so far, with the last one conducted in 2018-19. The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying had recently commenced workshops for officials of different States to conduct the 21st Livestock Census for 2024 which is yet to begin.