Rashtriya Gokul Mission

Blog Credit: Trupti Thakur

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Rashtriya Gokul Mission

The Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) is being implemented for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds since December 2014. The scheme is important in enhancing milk production and productivity of bovines to meet growing demand of milk and making dairying more remunerative to the rural farmers of the country. The scheme is also continued under umbrella scheme Rashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Yojna from 2021 to 2026 with a budget outlay of Rs.2400 crore. The RGM will result in enhanced productivity and benefit of the programme, percolating to all cattle and buffaloes of India especially with small and marginal farmers. This programme will also benefit women in particular since over 70% of the work involved in livestock farming is undertaken by women.

Objectives

• a) To enhance productivity of bovines and increasing milk production in a sustainable manner using advance technologies.
• b) To propagate use of high genetic merit bulls for breeding purposes.
• c) To enhance Artificial insemination coverage through strengthening breeding network and delivery of Artificial insemination services at farmers doorstep.
• d) To promote indigenous cattle & buffalo rearing and conservation in a scientific and holistic manner.

Funding Pattern

All the components of Scheme will be implemented on 100% grant-in-aid basis except the components of: i) accelerated breed improvement programme under the component subsidy of Rs 5000 per IVF pregnancy will be made available to participating farmers as GoI share; ii) promoting sex sorted semen under the component subsidy upto 50% of the cost of sex sorted semen will be made available to participating farmers and iii) establishment of breed multiplication farm under the component subsidy upto 50% of the capital cost maximum upto Rs.2.00 crore of the project will be made available to entrepreneur.

Components of RGM
1. Availability of High genetic Merit Germplasm:

• Bull Production Programme
  • Progeny Testing
  • Pedigree Selection
  • Genomic Selection
  • Import of Germplasm
• Support to semen stations: Strengthening of existing semen stations.
• Implementation of IVF Technology
  • IVF Laboratories
  • Implementation of In Vitro Embryo Production Technology
  • Implementation of IVF technology for getting assured pregnancy
• Breed Multiplication Farms

2. Extension of Artificial Insemination Network

• Establishment of MAITRIs
• Nationwide AI programme
• Using sex sorted semen for getting assured pregnancy
• Implementation of National Digital Livestock Mission (Livestack)

3. Development and Conservation of indigenous Breeds

• Assistance to Gaushalas, Gosadans and Pinjarapoles
• Administrative expenditure/ operation of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog

4. Skill Development
   5. Farmers Awareness
   6. Research Development and Innovation in Bovine Breeding

Why in News?

Recently, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying announced that employment will be given to more than 50 lakh farmers.

• Under Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)there is a scheme to provide subsidy on cow/buffalo/pig/chicken/goat breeding farms and silage making units of which 50% subsidy will be given by the Government of India. Also, 3% interest subvention on the loan amount can also be taken under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) scheme.

What is Rashtriya Gokul Mission?

• About:
  • It is being implemented for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds since December 2014.
  • The scheme is also continued under umbrella scheme Rashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Yojna from 2021 to 2026with a budget outlay of Rs.2400 crore.
• Nodal Ministry:
  • Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
• Objectives:
  • To enhance productivity of bovines and increasing milk production in a sustainable manner using advance technologies.
  • To propagate use of high genetic merit bulls for breeding purposes.
  • To enhance Artificial insemination coverage through strengthening breeding network and delivery of Artificial insemination services at farmers doorstep.
  • To promote indigenous cattle & buffalo rearing and conservation in a scientific and holistic manner.
• Significance:
  • The RGM will result in enhanced productivity and benefit of the programme, percolating to all cattle and buffaloes of India especially with small and marginal farmers.
  • This programme will also benefit women in particular since over 70% of the workinvolved in livestock farming is undertaken by women.
• Components:
  • Availability of High genetic Merit Germplasm
  • Extension of Artificial Insemination Network
  • Development and Conservation of indigenous Breeds
  • Skill Development
  • Farmers Awareness
  • Research Development and Innovation in Bovine Breeding
• Implementing Agency:
  • Rashtriya Gokul Mission will be implemented through the “State Implementing Agency (SIA viz Livestock Development Boards).
• Significant Initiatives:
  • Gopal Ratna Awards:
    • For farmers maintaining the best herd of Indigenous Breed and practicing best management practices.
  • Kamdhenu Awards:
    • For best-managed Indigenous herd by Institutions/Trusts/ NGOs/ Gaushalas or best-managed Breeders’ societies.
  • Gokul Grams:
    • RGM envisages the establishment of integrated cattle development centers, ‘Gokul Grams’ to develop indigenous breeds including up to 40% nondescript breeds(belonging or appearing to belong to no particular class or kind) with objectives to:
      • Promote indigenous cattle rearing and conservation in a scientific manner.
      • Propagate high genetic merit bulls of indigenous breeds.
      • Optimize modern Farm Management practices and promote Common Resource Management.
      • Utilize animal waste in an economical way i.e., Cow Dung, Cow Urine.
    • Recently,funds have been released for setting up of 16 Gokul Grams.
  • National Kamdhenu Breeding Centre (NKBC):
    • It is being established as a Centre of Excellence to develop and conserve Indigenous Breeds in a holistic and scientific manner.
  • E-Pashu Haat:
    • It is a web portal which provides information on pet cattle, trading of bovine animals that were not offered on any other platform in the country.
  • Nakul Prajnan Bazaar:
    • An e-market portal connecting breeders and farmers, for quality- disease-free bovine germplasm.
  • Pashu Sanjivni:
    • An animal wellness program encompassing the provision of animal health cards (‘Nakul Swasthya Patra’) along with unique identification and uploading data on National Database.
  • Advanced Reproductive Technology (ART):
    • Including Assisted Reproductive Technique- IVF/Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer (MOET) and sex-sorted semen technique to improve the availability of disease-free female bovines.
  • National Bovine Genomic Center for Indigenous Breeds (NBGC-IB):
    • It will be established for selection of breeding bulls of high genetic merit at a young age using highly precise gene-based technology.
  • AHIDF Scheme:
    • AHIDF of Rs.15000 crore has been set upunder Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package for incentivizing investments by individual entrepreneurs, private companies, MSME, Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) and Section 8 companies to establish:
      • the dairy processing and value addition infrastructure,
      • meat processingand value addition infrastructure and
      • Animal Feed Plant.

 

 

Blog By: Trupti Thakur