Given below is a snapshot of the Key Initiatives and Achievements of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for the year 2024.

1.         Growth in the sector

Livestock Sector is an important subsector of agriculture in the Indian economy. It grew at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.99% from 2014-15 to 2022-23. The contribution of livestock in total agriculture and allied sector Gross Value Added (GVA) has increased from 24.38% in 2014-15 to 30.23% in 2022-23 (at Current Prices). Livestock sector contributed 5.50% of total GVA in 2022-23(at Current Prices).

India is ranked first in milk production contributing 24.76% of global milk production. Milk production is growing at Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.62% over the past 10 years from 146.31 million tonnes during 2014-15 to 239.30 million tonnes during 2023-24. World milk production has grown by 1.50% during 2023 (Est.) in-comparison to the year 2022 (Food Outlook November’2024). The per capita availability of milk is 471 grams per day in India during 2023-24 as against the world average of 329 grams per day in 2023 (est.) (Food Outlook November’2024).

According to Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT) production data (2022), India ranks 2nd in Egg Production and 5^th in meat production in the world. Egg production in the country has increased from 78.48 billion in 2014-15 to 142.77 billion Nos. in 2023-24. Egg production in the country is growing at the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.87% over the past 10 years. The per capita availability of egg is at 103 eggs per annum in 2023-24 as against 62 eggs in 2014-15. Meat production in the country has increased from 6.69 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 10.25 million tonnes in 2023-24. Meat production in the country is growing at the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.85% over the past 10 years.

Animal Husbandry and Dairying Schemes

2.         Rashtriya Gokul Mission has been initiated by the Government with focus on development and conservation of indigenous breeds and genetic upgradation of bovine population. Several initiatives have been undertaken under the scheme to enhance productivity of bovines during the year 2024:

Indigenously developed sex sorted semen production technology was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 5.10.2024. This sex sorted semen is available at reasonable rates and the technology aims to produce female calves with up to 90% accuracy, thereby enhancing breed improvement and farmers' income.

The indigenous media for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), launched on 13^th September, 2024 from Bhubaneswar. The indigenous media, offers a cost-effective alternative to expensive imported media to propagate elite animals of indigenous breeds.

Common genomic chip Gau chip for cattle and Mahish chip for buffalo was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 5.10.2024;

National Milk Recording programme was launched on 13.9.2024 from Bhubaneshwar for identification of superior animals of indigenous breeds in the milk pockets/ breeding tract and

Traceability Platform for Livestock Products was launched on 22^nd October 2024 from Gujarat.

All these initiatives will give new dimension to the genetic upgradation of bovine population in the country.   National Gopal Ratna Awards is one of the highest National Awards in the field of livestock and dairy sector. From this year onwards, the Department has incorporated a Special award for North Eastern Region (NER) States, in all the three categories. 15 awardees were felicitated on the eve of National Milk Day on 26th November 2024 at New Delhi.

3.         The Department is implementing Central Sector Scheme of National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) with the aim to enhance quality of milk and milk products, milk procurement, processing, value addition and marketing. The scheme has helped in creation/ revival of 19,010 dairy cooperative societies, addition of 18.17 lakh new farmer members to dairy cooperative societies and creation of 27.93 lakh litres per day milk processing capacity. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is focussing on increasing sales of milk and dairy products by increasing farmers' access to the organized market, upgrading dairy processing facilities and marketing infrastructure and enhancing the capacity of producers owned institutions.  So far 35 projects have been approved with total outlay of Rs 1343.00 Cr.  By the end of the project 10,000 new Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCs) will be created, about 1.5 lakh farmer members will be added and 14.20 lakh litres per day will be procured. Under Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) 37 Projects from 12 States have been sanctioned with total project cost of Rs 6777 crore and so far, milk processing capacity of 73.95 lakh litres per day has been created. The scheme Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations (SDCFPO) provides interest subvention of 2% p.a. on working capital loans availed by the eligible Participating Agencies (PAs) from banks and financial institutions.

4.         National Livestock Mission (NLM): The focus of the scheme is towards employment generation, entrepreneurship development; increase in per animal productivity and thus targeting increased production of meat, goat milk, egg and wool.

From 21.02.2024 onwards, the scheme has been amended to incorporate new activities for development of Camel, horse, donkey, mule. For the first time these animals have been taken for establishment of breeder farms through incentivization of Individual, FPO, SHG, JLG, FCO and Section 8 companies.  In order to meet the requirement of green fodder, activities for fodder production by using Common Pasture Land, degraded forest land, waste land and also in the forest land. This will help in increasing of the area for fodder cultivation. The Central Government has also streamlined the Livestock Insurance programme. The share of premium contribution by a beneficiary has been reduced to 15% which earlier ranged between 20% to 50% for various beneficiaries and category of states. Now the Beneficiary can get their animals insured by contributing only 15% of the premium amount and the remaining premium share will be contributed by the Central Government and State Government on 60:40 basis for General States, on 90:10 basis for North Eastern and Himalayan States and on 100% basis for UTs. Also, the number of animals to be insured by one beneficiary has also been increased from 5 cattle unit (1 cattle unit = one large animal or 10 small animal) to 10 cattle unit. Now one beneficiary can insure 100 small animals and 10 large animals. However, for pig and rabbit, the number of animals will be 5 cattle unit. Presently, the insurance percentage is only 0.98%, the Government has taken initiatives to cover 5% of the total animal population in the country.

Financial progress: ₹324 crores has been allocated during the year 2024-25 out of which ₹190 crores has been utilized till date. Till date, 2858 applications have been approved by DAHD and Rs 235.30 Crores has been released as subsidy to 1168 beneficiaries.

5.         Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF):  The scheme envisaged for incentivizing investments by individual entrepreneurs, private companies, MSME, Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs), and Section 8 companies to establish (i) the dairy processing and value addition infrastructure, (ii) meat processing and value addition infrastructure and (iii) Animal Feed Plant. (iv) Breed improvement Technology and Breed Multiplications farms (v) Veterinary Drugs and vaccine infrastructure and (vi) Waste to wealth management. The scheme tenure was up to 2023-24, thereafter, the scheme was extended till 2025-26. The scheme got modified on 01.02.2024 in which the Dairy Cooperatives has also been included to avail the benefit under the scheme. Further, the Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) has been subsumed in the AHIDF and revised outlay is now ₹29610 cr. Under the scheme 3% interest subvention is provided and there is no limit of the availability of credit one beneficiary can take.  For MSME the rate of interest is EBLR and 200 basis points. Under the scheme Rs 270 crore has been allocated for combined AHIDF scheme out of which Rs 231.79 cr has been utilized. Till date ₹13306.50 crore investment has been leveraged in 486 approved projects. Due to Government intervention, there has been increase in 2-4% in processing capacity for dairy, meat, animals feed.

6.         Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme(LHDCP) is implemented to address livestock diseases and enhance veterinary healthcare infrastructure. This initiative aims to enhance the productivity of the livestock and boost farmers' incomes, particularly for those dependent on livestock for their livelihood. Achievements made under the scheme are as under:

6.1       National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP): Launched in 2019, the program is the largest of its kind globally, targeting the eradication of FMD and Brucellosis by 2030. Over 99.71 crore vaccinations against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in cattle and buffaloes, benefitting 7.18 crore farmers have been made so far. Vaccination campaigns for other diseases like Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) have also seen substantial progress, with millions of vaccinations completed. FMD vaccination coverage has been expanded to include pastoral sheep and goats in 2024.

6.2       Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs): 4016 MVUs have been made operational across 28 states/UTs, providing veterinary services at farmers' doorsteps via toll-free number 1962. Over 62.24 lakh farmers and 131.05 lakh animals have benefited from the same. MVUs have bolstered farmers' confidence in rearing productive dairy animals, transforming dairy farming into a commercially viable enterprise.

6.3       Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD): Financial and technical support has been provided for vaccinations against economically and zoonotically significant diseases, such as Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). Nearly 25.6 crores cattle have been vaccinated against LSD since 2022 and number of cases decreased from 33.5 lakhs in 2022 to just 47 active case as on date.

7.         Expanding the network of Colleges for Veterinary Education: To enhance the strength of qualified Veterinarians in the country, opening of new Veterinary Colleges is permitted under provisions of IVC Act,1984. It is pertinent to mention that the number of Veterinary Colleges has increased from 36 in 2014 to 79 in 2024 (till date) admissions are taken from NEET score and online system of counselling has been introduced.

8.         Livestock Census & Integrated Sample Survey Scheme:

8.1       Integrated Sample Survey: To bring out estimates of Major Livestock Products (MLP) such as Milk, Egg, Meat and Wool. The estimates are published in Annual Publication of Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS) of the Department. The Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS)-2024 for the period 2023-24 was published recently. 

8.2       Livestock Census: 20th Livestock Census was conducted in the year 2019 with the participation of Animal Husbandry Department of all the States/UTs and the All-India report namely “20th Livestock Census-2019” containing Species-wise and State-wise population of livestock has been published. In addition to the above, the Department has also published Breed-wise report on Livestock and Poultry (based on 20th livestock Census). The 21st Livestock Census was launched by the Hon’ble Minister, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh on 25th Oct, 2024. Since then, data on Livestock & poultry is being collected in all States/UTs through 21st LC Software.

9.         Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) For Dairy Farmers of Milk Cooperatives and Milk Producer Companies: As on 15.11.2024, more than 41.66 lakh fresh KCCs were sanctioned for AHD Farmers.

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AA