With Tamil Nadu govt temporarily suspending the free goat distribution scheme, the beneficiaries—landless agricultural labourers—will be hugely affected
Chennai: A Tamil Nadu government scheme for free distribution of milch cows and goats to the poorest in rural areas has been temporarily halted as the state faces its worst drought in 140 years.
The scheme will be resumed after the state receives adequate rainfall, animal husbandry minister P. Balakrishna Reddy told the state assembly on Tuesday. The scheme was temporarily stopped with effect from December 2016, the minister said.
The scheme introduced in 2011-12, has benefited landless farmers, especially women. The state government had distributed 2.8 million goats and sheep until 2015-16, according to the animal husbandry ministry.
About 4.4 million kids were obtained from these goats/sheep, the ministry said in a September 2016 order.
With the suspension of the scheme, its beneficiaries, landless agricultural labourers, will be hugely affected.
According to P.R. Pandian, coordinator of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Associations, there are more than 5 million landless farmers in Tamil Nadu.
“The Tamil Nadu government is hesitant to furnish the actual impact of the drought and the condition of the farmers in the Supreme Court. But while making announcements like these, they try to justify the move in the name of drought,” said Pandian.
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