Goa will implement the Mukhyamantri Sudharit Kamdhenu Scheme, replacing the existing Kamdhenu Scheme for the purchase of cattle. Under the new scheme, dairy farmers will be able to purchase cross-bred cows and improved buffaloes and cows of indigenous breeds such as Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Rathi, and Tharparkar.

The animals purchased through this scheme will be identified through RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) ear tags.

“On reaching the cattle shed of the farmer, microchipping of the animals is to be undertaken. The existing cross-bred cows, improved she-buffaloes, or indigenous breed cows shall be identified by microchip and INAPH ear tags,” the scheme reads. INAPH stands for Information Network for Animal Productivity and Health.

Applications for cattle sheds being constructed in areas prone to water scarcity will not be considered. Moreover, the scheme mandates that cattle sheds should not be constructed in low-lying areas, near riverbanks, or large sources of water which are prone to being waterlogged and flooded due to heavy rainfall.

“Those with more than 25 cattle require the consent of the Goa State Pollution Control Board to benefit from the scheme,” the conditions say. The board’s consent should be submitted to the department of animal husbandry and veterinary services.

Dairy farmers are being encouraged to construct cattle sheds in a scientific way for which the scheme has proposed to subsidise 80% of the construction cost for a cattle shed with an area of 5.4 sqm per animal.

Any farmer who had purchased animals under the earlier Kamdhenu Scheme but has not exceeded the purchase limit of 10 milch animals is eligible to benefit from the scheme for the remaining milch animals.