SRINAGAR: Educated and other unemployed youths are not attracted to take up ventures under dairy farming in the Jammu and Kashmir, where a number of schemes under central sector are available.
This information was given by Minister incharge Animal Husbandry and Fishers Abdul Gani Kohli in reply to a question by Saifuddin Bhat in the Legislative Council.He said it has been observed generally that educated and other unemployed youth are not attracted to take-up ventures under dairy farming in the State.
Whatever achievement that has been achieved I dairy sector is mainly the traditional farmers as a part time activity, he said in the reply.
He said under the Central Sector Scheme (CSS) for promotion of dairy in the state, there is one available scheme called ” Dairy Enterpreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS)” to farms or unemployed youth.
The reply said that under the scheme established of dairy units for two to ten cows or bullalo with maximum financial implication of Rs 6 lakh is available. There is provision of 25 per cent back-ended subsidy to farmers including unemployed under the general category while it is 33.33 per cent for SC and ST.
He said the back ended subsidy component is routed to beneficiaries through NABARD. Government of India in April this year has approved DEDS for the year year 2016-17, he said adding the formal communication with regard to the target and other details has not been received as yet.
The minister said once these are received by the department, extensive advertisement to the scheme will be given throughout the State.
Mr Kohli said once the targets and procedures are received for implementation of the scheme, the state will be able to provide benefits to farmers which can help in increasing the total milk production in the state.
The minister said in addition to this, under dairy development NABARD has launched Area Development Scheme for dairy in three blocks of Badgam district. Under this scheme Rs 1.60 to Rs 4 lakh is being made available through banks for establishment of two to five cow units respectively.
The beneficiary has to give 10 per cent margin money and rest 90 per cent is offered by banks as loan on admissible agriculture interest rate. Reply said that the target for current financial year under this scheme has been fixed as 60 units, distributed among five major banks operating I the district.
He said the department of Animal Husbandry is facilitating and offering the technical services to the dairy farmers of the state in general, like artificial insemination, vaccination, dosing and health cover apart from dissemination of awareness among the dairy farmers in latest technique in dairy sector, including fodder development, the minister said.
However, the minister said there is no proposal to set up dairy farm in Khansahib constituency in Badgam district. (AGENCIES)
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