Kerala to Launch Insurance Scheme to Cover Entire Cattle Population: Minister Chinchurani

PALAKKAD:
Kerala is all set to launch a comprehensive insurance scheme benefiting the entire cattle population in the state, Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry Minister J. Chinchurani said today.

The Centre has already approved the scheme, she said, after inaugurating the state-level National Milk Day celebrations, commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien, the Father of the country’s White Revolution.

Noting that the government has launched many schemes to support the dairy sector, the Minister said the veterinary ambulance service will be extended to all block panchayats of the state and also set aside Rs 22 crores for the maintenance of the calves, she added.

Noting that climate change had been getting extreme in the state, the Minister said summer heat killed 550 cows in Kerala this year. The government is paying Rs 37,500 per cow to the owner even as rising costs of fodder production was creating a crisis for both Milma and Kerala Feeds Ltd besides the farmers. “We are making efforts to overcome the situation,” she added.

Chinchurani also launched on the occasion, two schemes–‘Arunodayam’ aimed at nurturing heifers into cows yielding better milk and ‘Snehamitram,’ a life insurance scheme at a premium of Rs 10 for dairy farmers by Milma’s Malabar Union.

Delivering the Dr Verghese Kurien memorial lecture, former Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar said Milma has been a model for public sector institutions in the country. “Today, we are led to believe that privatisation is the best economics. We live in the midst of those finding everything wrong with the economic policy of our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the creator of modern India,” he said. “They find fault with anything benefiting the common man.”

In this context, Dr Jayakumar said Keralites have proved capable of countering such false notions. “Milma, as a leading movement, is a good example to show the country that the public sector can do well,” he said, noting that the cooperative’s approach was to compete strongly with the corporates.”

Malampuzha MLA A. Prabhakaran, who presided over the function, said Milma will be able to take a leadership role in Kerala’s journey towards self-sufficiency in the dairy sector.

Milma Federation Chairman K.S. Mani said the dairy farmers should take a vow to fight and defeat all activities against the public institutions and the cooperative sector. “Today, Milma has acquired the ability to compete professionally with any corporate entity,” he said. “At the same time, Milma is moving forward as a model of welfare schemes in the public sector by giving 83 percent of its income to the farmers.

Milma Managing Director Asif K. Yusuf proposed the Vote of thanks.

Other speakers included Milma Thiruvananthapuram Regional Union Chairman Mani Vishwanath, Ernakulam Regional Union Chairman M.T. Jayan, Dairy Development Department Director Salini Gopinath and Dairy Farmers Welfare Board Chairman Unnikrishnan V.P., besides Milma Director Board members and local self-governments representatives.

Workers of various dairy cooperatives and dairy farmers, among others, participated in the function. Women from various milk cooperatives presented various artistic performances.