Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday instructed the officials to resume the first phase of sheep distribution programme, which was put on hold due to the corona pandemic in the State, and complete it immediately. Accordingly, the programme will be resumed with distribution of sheep at Nalgonda on January 16.
The Chief Minister also decided to start the second phase of the programme from the upcoming financial year and announced that funds for the programme would be allocated in the State Budget to be introduced in March. He instructed Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav and the officials concerned to immediately start the distribution of the sheep under the programme.
The sheep distribution programme was launched in the State to distribute sheep on 75 percent subsidy to the beneficiaries among the Golla-Kuruma community. Ever since the first phase of programme was deferred during the last stage due to the Corona pandemic. Following the Chief Minister’s directions, Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Saturday thanked the former for considering the pleas of the Golla-Kuruma community. He said the programme has empowered the community both socially and economically.
There are about 7.61 lakh shepherds as members in around 8,109 sheep producers societies across the State. The State government launched the sheep distribution scheme with an expenditure of Rs 10,000 crore to empower them both financially and socially. Around 3.66 lakh units of sheep were distributed since the launch of the programme in 2017, at an expenditure of Rs 4,579 crore. As a result, the sheep population increased by 20.75 lakh in 2017-18, 39.94 lakh in 2018-19, 39.28 lakh in 2019-20 and 37.12 lakh in 2020-21. “The accumulated total of 1.37 lakh sheep are estimated to be worth around Rs 6,169 crore,” the Minister said.
Srinivas Yadav directed the officials to resume the first phase of sheep distribution prgramme, and organise a formal event at Nalgonda on January 16. About 28,335 applicants have already drawn necessary demand drafts and will receive the sheep units worth total Rs 360 crore. “The State government is committed to provide sheep to each and every eligible family of the Golla-Kuruma community
. About Rs 4,210 crore will be set aside for the purpose in the upcoming State Budget,” he announced.
On the occasion, the Minister ruled out any bird flu cases in the State. He added that the cases where the chicken were found dead, actually were transported from the neighbouring States and cause of death was due to sudden change in weather conditions. He reiterated that people need not panic about the Bird Flu as the State had no such cases so far.
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