Rs 776 cr cattle breeding project approved

New Delhi, Nov 30 (UNI) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved the implementation of Phase II of National project for cattle and buffalo breeding at the cost of Rs 775.87 crore, that will provide self-employment to about 20,000 private artificial insemination (AI) practitioners and improve coverage of breedable females.

The project will be implemented on a 100 per cent grant-in-aid basis over a five-year period, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reperters after the CCEA meeting.

The project will help in the large-scale replacement of 20 million of low producing nondescript cattle and buffaloes by improved animals.

About 80,000 pedigreed bulls for natural service are proposed to be inducted in the areas out of the reach of AI It will also provide increased rural self-employment opportunities and farm income. The benefits of the project will flow directly to the resource-poor among the rural households.

The project will also bring a modern AI network and delivery of AI services at farmers' doorstep.

A Central Monitoring Cell for certification of semen, semen stations and AI bulls will be established, and several indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds developed.

The government also approved the implementation of the project activities through state implementing agencies (SIA) constituted during Phase I and release of central grants directly to these agencies. In small states and union territories, where it is difficult to constitute vaiable SIA, project can be implemented by state animal husbandry departments, Mr Chidambaram said.

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