Question : Income of Dairy Farmers

(a) whether the Government is aware that farmers are facing financial difficulties due to COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) if so, the work being carried out by the Government in Dairy Sector to increase the income of farmers in Rajasthan and Maharashtra;
(c) whether a farmer can start a dairy by adopting animal husbandry to increase his income;
(d) if so, the schemes being run by the Government in this regard and assistance and facilities being provided to cattle rearers by the Government to start a dairy; and
(e) whether the Government is making arrangements for loans and grants in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) Yes Sir.
(b) This Department initiated providing of 2% interest subvention on working capital and additional subvention of 2% for timely payment under scheme “Support to Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisation (SDCFPO). The Budget provision for 2020-21 was Rs. 100 Crore. As on 31.12.2020, interest subvention amount of Rs. 201.72 crore has ben allocated against working capital loan amount of Rs 8031.23 Cr leveraged from banks by 48 Participating Agencies (PAs) in 13 States including Rajasthan and Maharashtra. In the state of Rajasthan and Maharashtra Rs. 2.01 Crore to 7 PAs and Rs. 2.24 Crore to 1 PA have been allocated as interest subvention against working Capital loans of Rs. 151 Crore and Rs. 224.01 Crore leveraged from Banks respectively.
(c) Yes Sir.
(d) This Department is implementing following schemes which helps farmer to start a dairy by adopting animal husbandry to increase his income:
i. Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)
ii. Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF)
iii. National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)
iv. Support to Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisation (SDCFPO)
As regards assistance and facilities, the above schemes encourage the farmers to start a dairy through their contribution in enhancement of productivity, creation of village level cooperative societies, infrastructure for milk procurement, processing and marketing etc. The working capital support helps farmers to receive timely payment and continued market access for their milk.
(e) Yes Sir. The arrangements of working capital loan provided under SDCFPO is given at part (b) of reply above; the loan for processing infrastructure is provided under DIDF with 2.5% interest subvention to Cooperatives, NDDB subsidiaries and Milk Producer Companies (MPCs). The grant is provided under NPDD scheme for creation of quality infrastructure at village level cooperative societies and milk processing plants. Under RGM scheme, grants are also provided for creation of Gokul Grams and strengthening of Semen stations.

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