New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS): Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy, Parshottam Rupala on Monday launched a three-month long nationwide campaign during which the benefits of Kisan Credit Card will be expanded to all eligible animal husbandry, dairy and fishery farmers in the country.
The campaign will last for three months from November 15, 2021 to February 15, 2022.
The circular conveying the detailed guidelines for organizing this 'AHDF KCC Campaign' was issued to the states on November 10. The necessary instructions to banks as well as the State Government have also been issued by the Department of Financial Services.
Livestock sector is crucial to the Indian economy today, comprising one third of the agriculture and allied sector gross value added and having over 8 per cent Compound annual growth rate. At the same time, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries activities play a significant role in generating farmers income, particularly among the landless, small and marginal farmers and women, besides providing cheap and nutritious food to millions of people.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, in a statement, said it is the need of the hour to provide reverential recognition to landless, small and marginal farmers and women involved in Animal Husbandry activities in the country and meet their institutional credit requirement for working capital needs through KCC so as to tap the potential of the sector and increase employment generation and income.
Notably, a Special Drive was organized last year, from June 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in association with the Department of Financial Services, for providing AHDF KCC to eligible dairy farmers of Milk Cooperatives and Milk Producer Companies.
As there are nearly 10 crore AHD farmers across the country, there is ample scope for expansion of this exercise beyond dairy cooperatives to cover other eligible dairy farmers as well as other animal husbandry activities, the Ministry added.