Farmers to get compensation for death of livestock

Vijayawada: Livestock plays very important role in the rural economy and a large number of farmers are eking out livelihood by rearing them. Sudden death of productive livestock like she-buffalo or cow is a loss to farmers.

In this backdrop, the state government has decided to pay compensation to the farmers for the death of livestock due to diseases, accidents or other reasons. The government will pay Rs 30,000 for the death of improved and indigenous breed and Rs 15,000 for the death of non-descript breed of cow/buffalo.

Similarly, sheep and goat owners can get compensation of Rs 6,000 for the death of each goat and sheep. Maximum limit to a farmer is Rs 1.20 lakh. The state government allocated Rs 100 crore in the current budget for the implementation of Comprehensive Livestock Loss Compensation scheme to help the farmers in the state.

Death of livestock due to diseases, accidents and other reasons is very common in rural areas. Farmers who depend on the livestock for their living will suffer a huge loss if they lose income due to death of livestock. In order to compensate to the farmers immediately, the government has allocated Rs 50 crore for buffalos and cows and another Rs 50 crore for sheep and goat.

The farmers have to dial the call centre on No 08500001962 and inform to the staff there in case of the death of cow/buffalo/sheep and goat to get compensation. Animal husbandry department staff will visit the house of the farmer and collect the details of the death of livestock and pay compensation directly byway of depositing the amount in the bank account of the farmers.

P Sundar Reddy, deputy director, department of animal husbandry, said the government had released a GO No. 22 for the implementation of Comprehensive Livestock Loss Compensation Scheme.

He said previously the farmers had to insure to get compensation for the livestock lost. But now they will get compensation from the government without any insurance. He said the department of animal husbandry started tagging of livestock and will use the data to check misuse of scheme.