Lok Sabha Question No. 4227 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: Desi Cows  for  Agriculture
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## 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 19 TH  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 20 th 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 BioInput Resource Centre.

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Annexure-I The details of beneficiaries benefitted during the last three years state wise

| State/UT          | No. of Animals Inseminated   | Total no. of Artificial Insemination done   | No. of Farmers Benefitted   |
|-------------------|------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| ANDHRA PRADESH    | 4536707                      | 9161296                                     | 1852683                     |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 1111                         | 1604                                        | 527                         |
| 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 PRADESH  | 816600                       | 1595552                                     | 566527                      |
| 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                 |