Parliament Question: Desi Cows for Agriculture

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4227 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19TH AUGUST 2025 DESI COWS FOR AGRICULTURE 4227. SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY: Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन, पशुपालन और डेयरी मंत्री be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware that the availability of Desi (indigenous) cows at farm level is minimal, which is hindering the adoption of natural farming practices by farmers; (b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to conserve, promote, and increase the population of Desi cow breeds in the country including Andhra Pradesh; (c) whether there are any dedicated schemes or incentives for farmers to rear Desi cows for agricultural purposes; (d) if so, the details of such schemes and number of beneficiaries during the last three years; and (e) if not, whether the Government has any plans to launch any new initiatives to strengthen the role of Desi cows in sustainable and natural farming systems? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (PROF. S. P. SINGH BAGHEL) (a) to (e) No, Sir. As per 20th Livestock Census, 2019, country has 193.46 million cattle population and out of this 142.11 million are indigenous and nondescript cattle, which is 73.45% of the total cattle population in the country. In order to complement and supplement the efforts made by the States and Union Territories, to conserve, promote and increase the population of indigenous bovine breeds, Government of India is implementing Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) for development and conservation of indigenous breeds, genetic upgradation of bovine population and enhancement of milk production and productivity of bovines. All indigenous bovine breeds are covered under the scheme including indigenous breeds of Andhra Pradesh. Following steps are being taken under the scheme: (i) Implementation of Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) using semen of high merit bulls including bulls of indigenous breeds. Under the component Artificial Insemination (AI) services is delivered free of cost at farmers’ doorstep in the districts with less than 50% AI coverage. During the last 3 years 4.92 crore animals covered, 8.55 crore AI performed and 2.78 crore farmers benefitted At present NAIP is implemented in 26 districts of Andhra Pradesh and during the last three years, 45.36 lakh animals have been covered, 91.61 lakh artificial inseminations performed, and 18.52 lakh farmers benefitted. The details of beneficiaries benefitted during the last three years state wise is given at Annexure-I.(ii) The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has established sex sorted semen production facilities and implementing Accelerated Breed Improvement Programme using sex sorted semen with the aim to produce female calves up to 90% accuracy thereby enhancing milch cattle population, breed improvement and farmers' income. Government has launched indigenously developed sex sorted semen technology to deliver sex sorted semen at reasonable rates to farmers including sex sorted semen of indigenous breeds. (iii) Implementation of progeny testing and pedigree selection for production of high genetic merit bulls including bulls of indigenous breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, Tharparkar, Kankrej, Hariana, Rathi, Gaolao breeds of cattle and Murrah, Mehsana, Jaffarabadi, Pandharpuri, Nili Ravi, Banni breeds of buffalo. High genetic merit bulls of indigenous breeds produced under the programme are being made available to semen stations for semen production. (iv) Implementation of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Technology: To propagate elite animals of indigenous breeds, the Department has established 23 IVF laboratories. The technology has important role in genetic upgradation of bovine population in single generation. Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission 2 IVF labs have been made operational in Andhra Pradesh located at Lam Farm, Guntur and National Kamdhenu Breeding Centre Chintaladevi, Nellore. Further, to deliver technology at reasonable rates to farmers Government has launched indigenous IVF media. (v) Genomic Selection: To select High Genetic Merit (HGM) animals and to accelerate genetic improvement of cattle and buffaloes, the Department has developed unified genomic chips—Gau Chip for indigenous cattle and Mahish Chip for indigenous buffaloes—specifically designed for initiating genomic selection of high genetic merit animals in the country. (vi) Funds have been released to the States for establishment of 16 Gokul Grams for development and conservation of indigenous breeds of cattle and buffaloes in scientific and holistic manner. Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission one Gokul Gram has been made operational in Andhra Pradesh at Chadalawada, Prakasam district. Two National Kamdhenu Breeding Centres have been established one for southern region located Chintaladevi, Nellore Andhra Pradesh and other for northern region at Itarsi, Narmadapuram Madhya Pradesh as repository of germplasm of indigenous breeds. Both the activities have been discontinued under revised realigned Rashtriya Gokul Mission from 2021-22 to 2025-26. (vii) Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing National Milk Recording Programme and Surabhi Chayan Shrankhla for identification, location of donors and propagation of elitist of elite animals including indigenous breeds. So far under Surabhi Chayan Shrankhla, 36329 animals have been recorded in Andhra Pradesh including elite animals of indigenous breeds. (viii) Community resource persons /Multi-purpose Artificial Insemination Technicians in Rural India (MAITRIs) are trained and equipped to deliver quality Artificial Insemination services at farmers’ doorstep and so far 38736 Community resource persons /MAITRIs are trained and equipped including 4746 MAITRIs of Andhra Pradesh.(ix) Under the component of establishment of Breed Multiplication Farm (BMF) Department has sanctioned 132 Breed Multiplication Farms including 19 BMF sanctioned in Andhra Pradesh. Component has been discontinued under revised RGM (x) Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing Central herd Registration scheme for identification, location and propagation of elite animals of indigenous breeds. Under the scheme Central Herd Registration Unit has been established at Ongole disrict, Andhra Pradesh for Ongole breed of cattle. Further, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme- National Mission on Natural Farming. In addition to other components/ activities the scheme envisages: (i) Popularization livestock (preferably local breed of cow) through integrated agriculture-animal husbandry models and developing linkages with Goshalas for ensuring the availability of inputs, enhancing local livestock (preferably local breed of cow) population through breed improvement, development of Natural Farming model demonstration farms at Central Cattle Breeding Farms/ Regional Fodder Stations, etc. (ii) For the successful adoption of Natural Farming, access to livestock and plants for preparing animal and plant based Natural Farming inputs the scheme envisages to establish 10,000 need-based Bio-Input Resource Centers (BRCs) for production and supply of Natural Farming inputs at local levels. (iii) Output Based incentive is available under the scheme to trained willing farmers to practice Natural Farming, train more farmers, upkeep of livestock (preferably local breed of cow)/ preparation of Natural Farming inputs (including purchase of mixing & storage containers, etc.)/ purchase of Natural Farming inputs from Bio- Input Resource Centre. ****Annexure-I The details of beneficiaries benefitted during the last three years state wise No. of No. of Animals Total no. of Artificial State/UT Farmers Inseminated Insemination done Benefitted ANDHRA PRADESH 4536707 9161296 1852683 ARUNACHAL 1111 1604 527 PRADESH ASSAM 881055 1259764 749322 BIHAR 2450143 3683407 1530448 CHHATTISGARH 915472 1406599 533649 GOA 7786 14973 2254 GUJARAT 2949352 5408465 1504439 HARYANA 128519 254320 93434 HIMACHAL 816600 1595552 566527 PRADESH JAMMU & KASHMIR 1009162 2311126 719369 JHARKHAND 1522512 2277581 954973 KARNATAKA 4926425 11157784 2801705 LADAKH 3505 5107 2914 MADHYA PRADESH 3407476 4559038 1936791 MAHARASHTRA 2814985 4330167 1728855 MANIPUR 9404 13093 6989 MEGHALAYA 18583 41821 6276 MIZORAM 2687 5014 1105 NAGALAND 14015 23658 6287 ODISHA 1741456 2625026 1065487 RAJASTHAN 2810270 4029253 1800791 SIKKIM 21290 29198 18020 TAMIL NADU 2642168 4763897 1094774 TELANGANA 1236919 1898999 639899 TRIPURA 117013 177620 101219 UTTAR PRADESH 9840771 16782344 5379493 UTTARANCHAL 692563 1344087 469003 WEST BENGAL 3738913 6386110 2280080 Total 4,92,56,862 8,55,46,903 2,78,47,313