The National Livelihood Mission (NLM) will now have more activities as the Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to modify the scheme.
According to a government statement, the scheme will now have a 50% capital subsidy provision. Up to 50 lakhs will be provided to the individuals, FPO, SHG, JLG, FCO and Section 8 companies to establish horse donkey, mule, and camel entrepreneurship. Also, the state government will assist with the breed conservation of horses, donkeys, and camels. The Central Government will provide ₹10 crore to establish semen stations and nucleus breeding farms for horses, donkeys and camels.
Similarly, a 50 per cent capital subsidy of up to ₹50 lakhs can be provided to private companies, start-ups, SHGs, FPOs, FCOs, JLGs, Farmers Cooperative societies (FCO), and Section 8 companies for setting up Fodder seed processing Infrastructure. This will include establishing infrastructure like the construction of buildings, receiving sheds, drying platforms, machinery, grading plants, and seed storage godown. The remaining project cost needs to be arranged by the beneficiary through bank finance or self-funding, said the statement.
To increase the fodder cultivation areas, the state government will be assisted with fodder cultivation in the non-forest land, wasteland/range land/non-arable as well as forest land “Non-Forest Wasteland/Rangeland/Non-arable Land” and “Fodder Production from Forest Land” as well as in the degraded forest land. This will increase the fodder availability in the country.
It has been decided to simplify the Livestock Insurance programme. The beneficiary share of the premium for the farmers has been reduced to 15 per cent as against 20-50 per cent. The Centre and the State will share the remaining premium amount at 60:40 for all states, 90:10. The number of animals to be insured has also been increased to 10 cattle units instead of 5 cattle units for cattle, sheep and goats. This will facilitate the livestock farmers to get their valuable animals insured by paying a minimum amount, added the statement.
Launched in 2014-15, the NLM now has three Sub-Missions - Breed improvement of Livestock and Poultry, Feed & Fodder and Innovation & Extension. The re-aligned NLM has ten activities and targets towards entrepreneurship development, feed and fodder development, research and innovation, and livestock insurance.