Champua: The Centre-sponsored Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) which helps in better cultivation and ushers in financial wellbeing of farmers has found favour here in Keonjhar district, a report said.
The RGY is a focused project under National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development and aims at conservation and development of indigenous breeds of cows in a focused and scientific manner through professional farm management and superior nutrition programme.
The scheme was launched to boost the agricultural production and help the farmers to earn more. The scheme also helps the farmers to protect their cattle from diseases and fulfill the demand for milk and milk based products by enhancing production.
Sources said there are over 72,760 domestic animals in Champua block out of which 22,807 are bullocks and 11,667 are cows.
The scheme having a timeline from September 15, 2019 till March 15, 2020 has fond favour among the farmers as it helps them in rearing and conserving indigenous breeds of bovines like Red Sindhi, Haryana, Tharparkar, Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi and Deoni, sub-divisional veterinary officer Satyajit Panda said.
Earlier, the service under the project was provided through four clusters in Champua block but with more and more farmers joining the scheme the number of clusters has increased to 23. All the cows are being tagged by the livestock inspectors and doctors. The tags contain detailed information about the animals.
The farmers are being sensitised under the programme and the detailed information about the members and their cattle are displayed through wall paintings in the village. Earlier, farmers used to face a lot of harassment in getting a veterinarian for delivery of cows.
However, that has been eliminated as a phone call to a designated number helps them get prompt service of veterinarians. At least eight personnel are managing the 23 clusters and over 700 cows out of the target of 1350 have been included under the scheme.
