Tamil Nadu - Chennai

10,000 milch animals to be given to women SHGs

CHENNAI: The government has announced a new scheme to increase the income of rural households and boost milk production.

Under the Perarignar Anna Centenary Dairy Scheme for Rural women 10,000 cross-bred, high yielding milch animals will be given to women self-help groups in villages, Dairy Development Minister U. Mathivanan told the Assembly on Wednesday.

Replying to a debate on the demands for grants for his department, the Minister said the scheme would be unveiled at Tirukkuvalai, where Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was born. It would be implemented in 200 villages this year. The Rs.22-crore scheme would benefit 5000 women.

Mr. Mathivanan also announced the setting up of Perarignar Anna Centenary Milk Producers’ Welfare Fund. The members would contribute Re.1 each month. A matching amount would be paid by Milk Producers Cooperative Society and District Unions.

The fund would be used to help members and their families during times of dislocation of milk supplies to societies owing to fatal accidents, hospitalisation of members and disability. It would also be used for marriage expenses of the members’ daughters and education expenses of their children.

The Minister said the target for procurement was 28 lakh litres a day across the State in 2008-09. Of this, 10.3 lakh litres a day of milk would be marketed in the Chennai metro area in 2008-09. At the district union level, 10 lakh litres a day would be marketed during the period. To cater to the increased targets, 131 bulk milk coolers would be installed during the year.

The department would also revive 100 Milk Producers Cooperative Societies and set up 250 new societies.

It would also establish a technical centre at Madhavaram to train technical staff of milk unions and the federation.

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