THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Enrollment under the Calves Adoption programme, ‘Govardhani’, for 2022-23 has begun in Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union (TRCMPU) of Milma.
TRCMPU Administrative Committee Convener N Bhasurangan inaugurated the enrollment campaign at Velloorkonam Milk Co-operative Society in the district.
This financial year, 3500 calves will be adopted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts, which come under TRCMPU.
The farmers who adopt calves will be provided cattle feed at half the price and other necessary supports till the delivery of the first calf. This year, specially made ‘Calf Growth Meal’ will be supplied to the farmers who adopt calves. A sum of Rs 4.50 crore has been earmarked for the project this year. The farmers who had adopted calves last year will continue to get assistance worth Rs 2.50 crore.
TRCMPU has also drawn up several new schemes to augment procurement of milk. The Union has set a target of 5 lakh litres of milk to be procured a day by 2025. Assistance worth Rs 21 crore will be extended to the farmers. Also, the Union will soon take decisions on incentives, cattle subsidy and additional price on procurement, Shri Bhasurangan said.
The launch of mobile veterinary clinics to augment livestock veterinary care facilities is a major programme for this year. Mobile application technology will be leveraged for the implementation of this programme.
Steps have also been taken to set up 40 insemination centres to augment artificial insemination in the region. Besides, 100 fertility clinics will be opened and silage will be provided to farmers at subsidized rates. The ‘Unarvu’ scheme to support primary milk co-operative societies will continue this year also.
