VIJAYAWADA: `Krishna Ksheeraamrutham' project, intended at providing social and economic self-reliance to youth and women, was launched by district Collector Navin Mittal here on Saturday.

Self-employment

As part of the programme, 10,000 high milk-yielding buffaloes would be distributed to beneficiaries in 200 villages in Krishna district. The scheme envisages constitution of groups with young men and women for generating self-employment. One person will be made responsible for the activities of each group. Subsidy, margin money and bank loan would form part of the assistance to be extended to each group that would be covered under the scheme. The DRDA, SC, ST, BC and Minority Corporations would extend the financial assistance and officials would supervise the activities of groups and help them derive maximum benefit.

Department of Animal Husbandry and milk union would jointly select the cattle, to be imported from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat, for distribution. While each unit would cost Rs. 4.25 lakhs, the Government would provide a subsidy of Rs 1.25 lakhs and Rs. 84,000 would be given as margin money. The remaining amount would be given as a loan to every group.

Milk marketing

Marketing of milk would be done by linking up milk collection centres of the Krishna District Mutually-Aided Cooperative Milk Union Limited. Department of Animal Husbandry would provide the necessary medical assistance to the cattle. Quality seed would be provided for cultivating fodder.

Either the members could raise fodder in their landholdings or the groups could jointly hire a piece of land for the purpose.

Animal Husbandry Department is proposing to take up artificial insemination for 2.90 lakh buffaloes with a view to enhance the quality of calves from the existing one lakh to two lakhs. Indian Bank, State Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Kanakadurga Grameena Bank, Krishna District Cooperative Central Bank have come forward to extend the financial help to the groups forming part of `Krishna Ksheeraamrutham' project.

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