PM Modi lauds Cabinet on revising schemes on shipping, animal husbandry, AYUSH

PM Modi on Wednesday went on to praise the Cabinet decision to revise and realign schemes of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. He stated that the move set the tone for the sector's transformation and would go on to benefit lakhs of people associated with it. The Prime Minister's remarks came after the Centre decided to revise the schemes and implement them as part of the special livestock sector package over the next five years starting this fiscal in a bid to leverage an investment of Rs 54,618 crore.

The decision was taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Modi.

CCEA approves alignment of scheme

PM also lauded the Cabinet decision approving a scheme to provide Rs 1,624 crore over five years as a subsidy to Indian shipping companies in global tenders floated by ministries and CPSEs for import of government cargo. The package envisages the central government's support amounting to Rs 9,800 crore over the duration of five years for leveraging a total investment of Rs 54,618 crore, according to an official statement.

"The sectors of dairy and animal husbandry are very close to my heart. Today's Cabinet decision sets the tone for the sector's transformation. Lakhs of people associated with this sector will gain," Modi tweeted.

On the Cabinet approving the continuation of the National Ayush Mission as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for another five years till 2026, the PM said the mission will keep popularising traditional forms of medicine and highlighting their benefits in a scientific manner.

“This package envisages the central government’s support amounting to Rs 9,800 crore over the duration of five years for leveraging a total investment of Rs 54,618 crore for five years,” according to an official statement. The schemes have been realigned and revised in order to further boost growth in the livestock sector and thereby making animal husbandry more remunerative to the 10 crore farmers engaged in this sector, it said.

"Today's Cabinet decision will serve as an advantage for Indian shipping companies and strengthen the resolve to build an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," Modi tweeted.

Revised Schemes and its characteristics

As per the revision, all the schemes of the department will be merged into three broad categories.

• The first category will be the Development Programmes, which include Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), National Livestock Mission (NLM) and Livestock Census and Integrated Sample Survey (LC & ISS) as sub-schemes.
   
• The second category is the Disease Control programme renamed as Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH & DC), which includes the current LH & DC scheme and the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP).
   
• The third category is the Infrastructure Development Fund, wherein the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development fund (AHIDF) and the Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) are merged. The current scheme to support dairy cooperatives and farmer producer organisations engaged in dairy activities is also included in this third category.

On the impact of the revision in the schemes, the government said the Rashtriya Gokul Mission will help in the development and conservation of indigenous breeds and would also contribute in improving the economic condition of the rural poor.

Image Credit - ANI