Distressed cattle farmers in Telangana have reason to cheer, govt launches rehabilitation camp

In a unique initiative, the Telangana government has launched a ‘Cattle Rehabilitation camp’ to provide relief to cattle farmers who were forced to sell their cows due to the drought-like conditions prevalent in the state. 

The camp was inaugurated on Friday by area MLA M Bhupal Reddy at Sultanabad village in Narayankhed, Medak.

On the first day, around 3,000 cattle  farmers turned up at the camp.

Due to water shortage, many farmers had started selling their cows as they were not able to maintain them. But with this initiative of the state government, farmers will be able to persist with their cattle and can also sell milk from the Cattle Rehabilitation camp itself.

Around 6 kg of fodder will be provided every day to each cattle free of cost and concentrated feed with nutritive value is being supplied to cattle at Rs 6.50 a kg at 50 per cent subsidy. Currently, 130 metric tonnes of fodder and 45 metric tonnes of concentrated feed have been procured and made available at the camp.

Narayankhed MLA M Bhupal Reddy told The News Minute, ‘’Due to drought, our constituency people were suffering a lot and also they were selling their cattle but Telangana government has taken this new kind of initiative to support the farmers and the cattle owners by starting this ‘Cattle Rehabilitation camp’.”

‘’The Government is providing all the necessary things at the camp and the Dairy Department has also made arrangements at the camp to collect milk every day, making payments on everyday basis to the farmers. For the cattle owners and farmers, I am providing food till next one and a half months till the monsoon sets in. After observing the camp in our constituency, other constituencies are also planning to start similar camps,’’ he added.

Venkatram Reddy, 62-year-old cattle owner from Kalher Mandal, Narayankhed told TNM, ‘’We basically sell milk and I own 30-40 cows and 20 buffalo’s but this year I have sold 5-6 cows due to drought, it was becoming really difficult to maintain them so we were forced to sell. But now with this initiative we are able to maintain our cattle here with all the facilities. Govt. is providing fodder and necessary things to us and the cattle, and also the Narayankhed MLA M Bhupal Reddy is taking care of our food for next one month.”