Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, announced major developments in India's livestock sector, detailing expanding institutional credit, digital outreach, and livestock productivity.

Credit accessibility for animal husbandry farmers reached a key milestone, with Kisan Credit Card (KCC) coverage scaling to 50.42 lakh beneficiaries in FY 2025–26, up from 15.08 lakh in 2021–22. India's annual milk production reached 247.87 million tonnes in 2024–25, comfortably surpassing domestic demand (243 million tonnes). Total dairy exports reached $407.18 million in FY 2025–26.

To boost long-term yield and genetic resilience, the Ministry is actively expanding flagship schemes across States:

Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM): To supplement the efforts of the States and UTs in promoting scientific breeding, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India(GoI) is implementing Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) since December 2014 for development and conservation of indigenous breeds, genetic upgradation of bovine population and enhancement of milk production and productivity thereby making milk production more remunerative to farmers.

National Livestock Mission (NLM): In order to promote scientific breeding and improve fodder quality in the country, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India is implementing the scheme of National Livestock Mission since the financial year 2014-15. The scheme of National Livestock Mission (NLM) aims towards 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 concept of NLM Scheme is to develop the entrepreneur in order to create the forward and backward linkage for the produce available at the unorganized sector and to link with the organized sector.

The major initiatives undertaken by, Government of India (GOI) under the National Livestock Mission (NLM) and Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) to promote livestock development and strengthen animal healthcare services in Tamil Nadu during the last five years are as below:-

• 50% capital subsidyprovided under NLM-EDP to individuals, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), Farmer Cooperative Organisations (FCOs), and Section 8 companies. The NLM scheme focuses on Breed Development of Livestock & Poultry, Feed and Fodder development, Research & Development, Livestock Insurance and Extension.

• 100% financial assistance is provided under LHDCP to all the States/UTs for prevention of economically important livestock diseases namely Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Brucellosis, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) through vaccination. Further, financial assistance is provided to States/ UTs on sharing basis for State prioritised activities such asvaccination against other livestock diseases, control of emergent and exotic diseases, strengthening of laboratory, disease surveillance, training and awareness.

• Financial assistance is provided to the State of Tamil Nadu on sharing basis for operation of 245 Mobile Veterinary Units (MVU)to deliver veterinary services at farmer’s doorstep.

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