With a focus on developing and boosting rearing of indigenous cows, interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced setting up of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog in the Union Budget presented on Friday.
In the backdrop of climate change and escalating farm costs, the move, seen as an extension of the breed development programme launched earlier, targets a sustainable genetic upgrade of cow resources to enhance production of indigenous breeds.
Due to their resilient characteristics, which help withstand climate and environmental conditions of their respective breeding tracts, the indigenous cows gained attention from not just breeders but also policymakers.
Even as the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has its own genetic improvement programme for breed development with targeted intervention in rural areas, a policy thrust from the Centre via budgetary allocation, is seen as a big push for the objective.
With shrinking margins in animal husbandry following escalation in a variety of costs for rearing of milch animals, farmers preferred hybrid cattle, which are more productive. But research studies found that indigenous breeds can adjust to climate variations and have milk rich in fat and SNF content. Studies revealed that the productivity of indigenous breeds has lesser impact on climate change than exotic or hybrid animals.
Speaking on the allocations for the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sector, Goyal stated that the sector required considerable support. Goyal announced a National Commission for the indigenous cow.
He also increased the allocation for the Rashtriya Gokul Mission to ₹750 crore in the current year. The Mission was launched in December 2014 with the aim of developing indigenous bovine breeds.
Welcoming the effort, Rajiv Gandhi, CEO & MD, Hester Biosciences, a private sector animal healthcare player, said: “The provision to upgrade the genetic quality of cows under the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog will ensue a positive impact on the diary as well as the overall animal healthcare industry.”
In Union Budget 2016-17, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced special project for indigenous breed development under four new projects. An allocation of ₹850 crore was made towards these projects over the next few years.
According to estimates, out of India’s 300 million bovine population, 190 million are cattle and 110 million are estimated to be buffaloes. Of this, 80 per cent cattle is indigenous and non-descript breeds.