The productivity of Indigenous bovine breeds in the country is low compared to advanced dairy nations globally and this is mainly due to low genetic potential of dairy animals and animals are maintained on low plane of nutrition.  However, the total productivity of Bovines in the country has increased from 1640 kilograms per animal per year in 2014-15 to 2072 kilograms per animal per year in 2023-24 that is by 26.34% which is the highest productivity gain by any country in the world.  The productivity of the indigenous and non-descript cattle has increased from 927 kilograms per animal per year in 2014-15 to 1292 kilograms per animal per year in 2023-24 that is by 39.37 %. The productivity of the buffaloes has increased from 1880 kilograms per animal per year in 2014-15 to 2161 kilograms per animal per year in 2023-24 that is by 14.94%. Milk production in the country has increased from 146.31 Million Tonnes in 2014-15 to 239.30 Million Tonnes in 2023-24 that is by 63.55 % during the last 10 years. Rashtriya Gokul Mission envisages to achieve productivity of bovines upto 3000 kilograms of milk per animal per year by 2030.

In order to complement and supplement the efforts of the States and Union Territories to improve the nutrition, management practices, genetic potential of local cattle breeds and to provide training and support to dairy farmers in adopting best practices, the details of the steps undertaken and schemes being implemented by Government of India is as under:

1.         Rashtriya Gokul Mission: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing Rashtriya Gokul Mission since December 2014 for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds, genetic upgradation of bovine population and enhancement of milk production and productivity of bovines. Following efforts are being made under the scheme to enhance milk production and productivity of bovines:

(i)         Nationwide Artificial Insemination Program: Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is expanding artificial insemination coverage to boost the milk production and productivity of bovines, including indigenous breeds.

(ii)        Progeny Testing and Pedigree Selection: This program aims to produce high genetic merit bulls, including bulls of indigenous breeds. Progeny testing is implemented for Gir, Sahiwal breeds of cattle, and Murrah, Mehsana breeds of buffaloes. Under the Pedigree selection programme Rathi, Tharparkar, Hariana, Kankrej breed of cattle and Jaffarabadi, Nili Ravi, Pandharpuri and Banni breed of buffalo are covered.

(iii)       Implementation of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Technology: To propagate elite animals of indigenous breeds, the Department has established 22 IVF laboratories. The technology has important role in genetic upgradation of bovine population in single generation. Further, to deliver technology at reasonable rates to farmers Government has launched IVF media.

(iv)       Sex-Sorted Semen Production: The Department has established sex sorted semen production facilities at 5 government semen stations located in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. 3 private semen stations are also producing sex sorted semen doses.

(v)        Genomic Selection: To accelerate genetic improvement of cattle and buffaloes, the Department has developed unified genomic chips—Gau Chip for indigenous cattle and Mahish Chip for buffaloes—specifically designed for initiating genomic selection in the country.

(vi)       Multi-purpose Artificial Insemination Technicians in Rural India (MAITRIs): Under the scheme MAITRIs are trained and equipped to deliver quality Artificial Insemination services at farmers’ doorstep.

(vii)      Accelerated Breed Improvement Programme using sex sorted semen: This program aims to produce female calves with up to 90% accuracy, thereby enhancing breed improvement and farmers' income. Farmers receive support for assured pregnancy upto 50% of the cost of sex sorted semen.

(viii)     Accelerated Breed Improvement Programme using In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) technology: This technology is utilized for the rapid genetic upgradation of bovines and an incentive of Rs 5,000 per assured pregnancy is made available to farmers interested in taking up IVF technology.

2.         National Livestock Mission (NLM): National Livestock Mission (NLM) aims to create employment generation, entrepreneurship development, increase in per-animal productivity and thus targeting increased production of meat, goat milk, egg and wool under the umbrella scheme Development Programme.  The scheme envisages following three submissions: (i) Sub-Mission on Breed Development of Livestock and Poultry; (ii) Sub-Mission on Feed and Fodder Development and (iii) Sub-Mission on Innovation, Extension. Details of the activities covered under these submissions are as under:

(A) Sub-mission on Breed Development of Livestock and Poultry:  This Sub-Mission has following activities: (I)                 Establishment of Entrepreneurs for breed development: under this activity following sub activities are included (i) Establishment of Entrepreneurs for breed development of Rural Poultry and (ii) Establishment of Entrepreneur for breed development in small ruminant sector (sheep and goat farming). (II) Genetic Improvement of Sheep and Goat breeds: under this activity following are the sub activities: (i) Establishment of Regional Semen Production Laboratory and Semen Bank for sheep and goat; (ii) Establishment of State Semen Bank: (iii) Propagation of Artificial Insemination through existing cattle and buffalo Artificial Insemination centers and (iv)  Import of exotic sheep and goat germplasm.  (III) Promotion of Piggery Entrepreneur. (IV) Genetic Improvement of Pig breeds: Under this activity following activities are implemented:  (i) Establishment of pig semen collection and processing lab and (ii) Import of exotic pig germplasm. (V) Establishment of Entrepreneurs for horse, donkey, mule and camel. (VI) Genetic Improvement of Horse, Donkey, Mule, Camel:  (i) Regional Semen Station for Horse, donkey and camel; (ii) Nucleus Breed Farm for Conservation of Horse/Donkey/Camel germplasm and (iii) Breed Registration Society.

(B) Sub-Mission on feed and fodder development: The Sub-Mission of the feed and fodder is covering the following activities: (I)     Assistance for quality Fodder seed production. (II) Entrepreneurial activities in feed and fodder. (III) Establishment of Entrepreneurs for Fodder Seed processing Infrastructure (processing and grading unit/ fodder seed storage godown). (IV) Fodder production from Non-Forest Wasteland / Rangeland / Non-arable Land” and “Fodder Production from Forest Land.

(C)       Sub Mission on Innovation and Extension: Under this Sub-Mission the following are the activities: (I) Research and Development and innovations. (II) Extension activities. (III) Livestock Insurance programme.

3.         National Programme for Dairy Development: This scheme focuses on creating dairy infrastructure for the procurement, processing, and marketing of milk and milk products in the cooperative dairy sector inter alia training and awareness programs for dairy farmers, input services such as cattle-feed and mineral mixtures, and assistance for quality testing of milk and milk products, thereby improving the economic condition of dairy farmers enrolled in cooperatives.

4.         Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH & DC): The scheme is implemented for providing assistance for control of animal diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease, Brucellosis and also to provide assistance to State Governments for Control of other infectious diseases of livestock including dairy animals. Mobile Veterinary Units are established under the scheme to deliver quality livestock health services at farmers doorstep. Under the vaccination programme: (i) more than 100 crore vaccinations have been done against FMD including 35 crore vaccination performed during current year; and (ii) about 4.3 crore calves vaccinated against Brucellosis under brucellosis control programme including 1.3 crore calves vaccinated during current year. Under the component of Establishment and Strengthening of Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries (ESVHD- MVU), 100% financial assistance is provided towards procurement & customization of Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) with recurring operational expenditure in the ratio of 90:10 for North Eastern & Himalayan States; 60% for other States, and 100% for UTs for delivery of veterinary healthcare services through Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) through a Toll-Free Number (1962) at farmers’ doorsteps which include disease diagnosis, treatment, vaccination, minor surgical interventions, audio-visual aids and extension services. So far, 4016 MVUs are operational in 28 states and 65 lakh farmers benefitted. This helps in increasing productivity

5.         Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) The scheme is to facilitate incentivisation of investments to establish (i) Dairy processing and product diversification infrastructure, (ii) Meat processing and product diversification infrastructure and (iii) Animal Feed Plant (iv) Breed Improvement Technology and Breed Multiplication Farm, (v) Veterinary Vaccine and Drugs production facilities, (vi) Animal waste to wealth management (Agri-waste Management). Keeping in view of the success of AHIDF, the erstwhile Dairy Processing Infrastructure Development Fund has been subsumed with the AHIDF on 01.02.2024. Now total size of the fund is Rs 29110 cr.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme National Livestock Mission with a Sub-Mission on Feed and Fodder Development. Under the Submission, fodder development activity is undertaken through strengthening of fodder seed chain (Breeder-Foundation-Certified) thereby improving the availability of certified/quality fodder seeds required for production of high quality and  nutritious fodder. Approx.  1.03 lakh Tons of fodder seeds were produced under the Component Assistance for Quality Fodder Seeds Production since 2021-22 with release of funds of Rs.636.83 crores. The details of the progress under the component is at Annexure-I

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute ( IGFRI) Jhansi along with its All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Forage Crops & Utilization with 22 coordinated centers located in 21 states of the country are dedicatedly working on development of high yielding and nutritious fodder crop varieties for different agro-climatic conditions of the country and many varieties have been released for cultivation. Different approaches of crop improvement viz. speed breeding, apomixes; gene editing, SS markers, transgenic etc. are being used to develop high yielding trait specific cultivars. Major thrust are being placed for the development of varieties with attributes of high yielding, nutritionally superior, climatically resilient and resistant for different biotic factor. Till now more than 400 improved varieties in 40 fodder crops has been developed for different parts of the country and out of these about 200 varieties are in seed production chain. During last five years (2019-2024) nutritionally better and high yielding 86 varieties/ hybrids in 17 fodder crops have been identified/ notified for the cultivation in different agro-climatic regions of the country.

Annexure-I

Progress under component Assistance for Quality Fodder seeds Production under realign National Livestock Mission (NLM)

1. Physical Progress - Year and Class wise Fodder Seed Production (Qtls)

Class of seeds	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	Total
Breeder	530.13	0	0	0	530.13
Foundation	6120.87	21864.75	15312.89	12832.06	56130.57
Certified	104852.2	303222.4	407874.5	159383.0	975332.1
Total	111503.2	325087.2	423187.4	172215.1	1031993

 

2. Financial Progress – Year-wise Release of funds

Year	Release of funds (Rs.in crores)
2021-22	100.44
2022-23	159.99
2023-24	156.07
2024-25 (As on 4.2.2025)	220.31
Total Releases	636.83

This information was given by the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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