Atmanirbhar Scheme a Big hit with Dairy Farmers in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Dairy farmers of Telangana have responded in a big way to the Centre’s 15,000-crore Atmanirbhar scheme for dairy development. Over 83,000 of the total 2.50 lakh cooperative dairy farmers in the state have applied for loans up to 3 lakh each as part of Centre’s package to help the dairy sector affected by lockdown.

The last date for submission of applications by cooperative dairy farmers is July 31, after which the scheme would be thrown open to all the dairy farmers. In the first phase, central government wanted cooperative dairy farmers to be covered in the scheme. “As part of the Atmanirbhar scheme, dairy farmers have to apply for Kisan credit card. After obtaining it, they would be eligible to obtain loans from various banks. Amounts ranging from 1.60 lakh per farmer to 3 lakh on 4% interest will be given,” an official said.

Though farmers have liberty to spend the loan amount on the choice of their work, including fodder or other agriculture work, as Atmanirbhar is aimed at extending financial support to become self-sufficient, the state dairy federation is encouraging them to purchase milch animals. As many as four milch buffaloes can be bought with 3 lakh and even if five litres of milk from each animal is sold anywhere between 20 and 25 per litre depending upon its quality, each farmer can earn farmer can earn an additional 100 per day and 3,000 per month.

Read: Karnataka Mulls Ban on Cow Slaughter, Beef Consumption after Covid-19 Situation Eases

Source: The article is extracted from The Times of India, July 11, 2020.