Budget 2019: Govt to set up Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog for welfare of cows

New Delhi [India], Feb 1 (ANI): In the Interim Budget 2019-20, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday announced that a Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog will be set up for the welfare of cows in the country.
“The directive principle of the constitution which called for the protection of cows, the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog is going to make sure it is followed and has alloted money for it,” Goyal said.
The government will allocate Rs 750 crore for Rashtriya Gokul Mission from the current year itself. It will set up a Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog to upscale sustainable genetic upgradation of cow resources and enhance production and productivity of cows. The Aayog will also look after effective implementation of laws and welfare schemes for cows.
Goyal announced a new scheme “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)” to extend direct income support at the rate of Rs 6,000 per year to farmer families, having cultivable land up to two hectares.
Goyal said that “our government is launching a historic programme PM-KISAN with an outlay of Rs 75,000 crore and Rs 20,000 crore in the Revised Estimates of Financial Year 2018-19”.
Under this scheme, Rs 2,000 each will be transferred to the bank accounts of around 12 crore Small and Marginal farmer families, in three equal instalments. This programme would be made effective from December 1, 2018 and the first instalment for the period up to March 31, 2019 would be paid during this year itself.
Meanwhile, to provide sustained and focused attention towards development of Fisheries, the government has decided to create a separate Department of Fisheries.
Goyal said that through the measure, the government wants to promote further growth of over seven per cent to promote livelihood of about 1.45 crore people dependent on the sector.
He announced two per cent interest subvention to the farmers pursuing the activities of animal husbandry and fisheries, who avail loan through Kisan Credit Card.
In case of timely repayment of loan, they will also get an additional three per cent interest subvention. (ANI)