Cabinet approves implementation of revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission with enhanced allocation for 2024-25 and 2025-26

New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) to boost growth in the livestock sector, an official release said.
Implementation of revised RGM, as a Central Sector component of the Development Programmes scheme is being done with an additional outlay of Rs 1000 crore is total outlay of Rs 3400 crore during the 15th Finance Commission cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Two New activities added are- (i) One-time assistance of 35 per cent of the capital cost for the establishment of Heifer Rearing Centres to Implementing Agencies for the creation of 30 housing facilities having a total of 15000 heifers and (ii) To encourage farmers to purchase High genetic merit (HGM) IVF heifers to provide 3 per cent interest subvention on loan taken by the farmer from milk unions / financial institutions/ banks for such purchase.
This will help in the systemic induction of high-yielding breeds, it said.
The revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission is approved with an allocation of Rs 3400 crore during the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26).
The scheme is for the continuation of ongoing activities of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission- strengthening of semen stations, Artificial Insemination network, implementation of the bull production programme, accelerated breed improvement programme using sex-sorted semen, skill development, farmer awareness, support for innovative activities including establishment of Centre of Excellence, strengthening of Central Cattle Breeding Farms and strengthening of Central Cattle Breeding Farms without any change in the pattern of assistance in any of these activities.
With the implementation of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and other efforts of the Government, milk production has increased by 63.55 per cent in the last ten years, along with the availability of milk per person, which was 307 grams per day in 2013-14, and now increased to 471 grams per day in 2023-24. Productivity has also increased by 26.34 per cent in the last ten years.
The Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) under the RGM provides free-of-cost Artificial Insemination (AI) at the farmer's doorstep in 605 districts across the country where the baseline AI coverage was below 50 per cent.
The release mentioned that to date, over 8.39 crore animals have been covered and 5.21 crore farmers have benefitted. RGM has also been at the forefront in bringing the latest technological interventions in breeding to the farmer's doorstep. A total of 22 in vitro fertilization (IVF) labs have been set up across the country under the State Livestock Boards (SLBs) or in Universities and over 2541 HGM calves have been born.
Two path-breaking steps in Atmanirbhar technology are the Gau Chip and Mahish Chip, genomic chips for indigenous bovines developed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) and Gau Sort indigenously developed sex-sorted semen production technology developed by NDDB.
The scheme is set to significantly boost milk production and productivity, ultimately increasing farmers' incomes. It focuses on the protection and preservation of India's indigenous bovine breeds through systematic and scientific efforts in bull production and the development of indigenous bovine genomic chips.
Additionally, in Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has become an established technology, due to the initiatives taken under the scheme. This initiative will not only enhance productivity but also improve the livelihoods of 8.5 crores of farmers engaged in Dairying. (ANI)