Nalgonda disburses sheep units to 90 pc beneficiaries

Nalgonda: District Collector Gaurav Uppal stated that Nalgonda stood top in the state in implementing Sheep Unit Scheme.

Addressing the newsmen at Collectorate Meeting Hall on Friday, the Collector said of the target 32,314 beneficiaries in first phase of the scheme, sheep were distributed to 90 per cent of them, while the rest 10 per cent would get the sheep at the earliest. Similarly, the same number of beneficiaries (32,314) would get the sheep in second phase of the scheme.

Uppal informed that to provide sufficient cattle feed to the distributed sheep, Stylo grass seeds were already sowed by the Forest and Horticulture departments in the forest areas of the district. In addition to this, grass seeds were also supplied to framers.

Informing that strict vigilance was on at Wadapally and Macherla checkpost to prevent reselling of sheep, the Collector added that to monitor the accounts of scheme, a Charted Accountant and a retired employee were engaged.

“To avoid irregularities, the amount was payed through cheques during the purchase of sheep in Guntur and Prakasam districts,” he said, adding that officials concerned were accompanying the beneficiaries to select healthy sheep.

Stating it has came to notice of the district administration that some brokers were involved in the task of re-purchasing the sheep from beneficiaries, Uppal said vigilance teams have been constituted at village, mandal and district levels to put a check to the irregularities. District Revenue Officer Kheemya Naik and Animal Husbandry officials attended the press meet.