Kurumas cheer as herd arrives

Govt Offers 75 % subsidy to beneficiaries

Nalgonda: Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy stated that government was taking all measures for strengthening of rural economy by strengthening farmers and allied traditional occupations in the villages. On Tuesday, the Minister formally launched State government’s Sheep Rearing Scheme in Nalgonda, Suryapet and Yadadri districts.

He distributed sheep to selected Golla, Kuruma community beneficiaries at Vutkur of Nidmanoor mandal in Nagarjunasagar Assembly constituency, Anireddygudem of Nalgonda constituency, Shivanenigudem of Nakrekal constituency, Sangem of Bhongir constituency and KT Annaram of Suryapet Assembly constituency.

Addressing the gatherings during the meetings held on these occasions, Reddy said, the lifestyles of caste-based professions reflect the standards of villages. He asked the land owners of Golla and Kuruma communities to take up rearing sheep apart from farming using the government support. He asked Golla Kuruma community organisations to support the programme on a large scale and requested them to follow the government’s guidelines and take care of the sheep that were distributed on Tuesday.

Stating that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has been reviving the caste-based professions in the state, he said the Sheep Distribution Scheme gives a new lease of life to Golla Kuruma community. “The credit of making agriculture sector a profitable one in the State goes to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao,” he said, adding that free fertiliser scheme and other empowering schemes of state government would make farmers richer in near future. He also listed out various government schemes designed for the welfare of all sections of people and achievements of Chief Minister in last three years.

On the occasion of launching of the scheme in Nalgonda, Yadadri and Suryapet districts, he wore a Gongadi (a woolen quilt) and shared his happiness by beating the Oggudolu (a drum). Meanwhile, expressing their happiness several members of the Golla Kuruma community presented lambs to the Minister.

In these programmes, District Collectors Gaurav Uppal, Surendra Mohan and Anita Ramachandran, MP Gutha Sukender Reddy, Boora Narsaiah Goud, MLAs Shekar Reddy, Vemula Veeresham and Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy, MLC Poola Ravinder, Krishna Reddy, beneficiaries and local TRS leaders participated.

In Khammam, Roads and Buildings Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao launched the Sheep Distribution Scheme in Thirumalayapalem mandal in Khammam on Tuesday and distributed 17 sheep units to the beneficiaries.

Speaking on the occasion, Tummala said earlier every family in a village used to possess cattle and sheep and they used earn their livelihood from them apart from agriculture. Due to lack of those resources at present, the farmers were facing economical issues.

According to the scheme, each beneficiary would be distributed with one sheep unit with 75 per cent of subsidy. “The government is investing Rs 5,000 crore for the scheme this year, he informed. “Growth occurs only when villages are strengthened and developed economically. The government had already given permission to shepherds to graze their sheep in the forests also. All the eligible persons will be distributed with the sheep units,” assured the Minister.

District Collector D S Lokesh Kumar said the administration had taken all necessary steps for the proper implementation of the scheme in the district by forming 339 societies in 427 village panchayats and dividing the societies into two groups of A and B. The shepherds of A group would be distributed with sheep units this year and B group shepherds would get them next year.

MLC Balasani Lakshminarayana, Chairman of Seed Corporation Department Kondabala Koteshwar Rao, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Gadepalli Kavitha, DCCB Chairman Muvva Vijay Babu, SC Corporation Chairman Pidamarthi Ravi, Chairman of the State Industries Development Corporation Budan Baig and the District Joint Collector T Vinay Krishna Reddy were present along with others.

In Mahbubnagar, Health Minister Dr C Laxma Reddy and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav launched the Sheep Rearing Scheme in Makthal mandal on Tuesday. Reiterating the government’s resolve to develop all sections and communities in Telangana, C. Laxma Reddy said, “Sheep scheme was a mammoth programme initiated by the State government towards the development of rural communities in the state.

The Golla, Kuruma and Yadava communities who have lost their livelihood will now be able to revive their traditional employment with the help of government’s Sheep Rearing Scheme. This is a big step towards achieving Golden Telangana. The scheme will help improve the community employment in rural areas and improve the economic condition of poor.”

Currently there are 16-17 lakh Golla, Yadava and Kuruma communities who are making livelihood as shepherds in the district. As part of the scheme, the authorities have decided to distribute 5.40 lakh sheep units in the district. Each unit constitutes 20 sheep and costs Rs 1.25 lakh. Of which, the beneficiary will have to pay Rs 32,750 as his share, while the remaining Rs 93,250 is born by the government as part of 75 per cent subsidy to the beneficiary.