9th July, 2003
Ministry of Agriculture  


SCHEME FOR CONSERVATION OF THREATENED BREEDS OF SMALL RUMINANTS, PIGS AND PACK ANIMALS LAUNCHED

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF AGRICULTURE MINISTRY MEETS


A new centrally sponsored scheme has been launched for conservation of threatened breeds of small ruminants, pigs and pack animals. A provision of 15 crore rupees has been made in the 10th Plan for the scheme. The Agriculture Minister Shri Rajnath Singh said this while addressing a meeting of the Consultative Committee of his Ministry here today. Under the scheme named ‘Conservation of Threatened Breeds of Small Ruminants, Pigs, Pack Animals and Equines’, central assistance will be provided as 100 % grant to State Governments, NGOs, etc.

The Agriculture Minister said that small ruminants, pack animals, equine and pigs are being maintained by 6 million small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers in the country. It is important to put a check on genetic deterioration of small ruminants which include sheep and goat and pack animals which include horses, donkey, ponies, camel and yak. At present, there are 42 breeds of sheep, 20 breeds of goat, 6 breeds of camel, 6 breeds of horses and ponies and 3 breeds of yak. Some of these have come in the category of threatened breeds over the years due to various reasons. Some of the threatened breeds are double humped camel, Sikkim yak, wild asses , Zanskari ponies, Kathiawadi and Marwadi horses; Asakushu-une (long haired), Teressa, Barbari, Jamunapari, Jaunpuri, Karnah, Gurez, Bhakarwal, Lohi, Bompala, Tibetian and Pashmina goats; Jalauni, Muzuffarnagri, Pugal, Chokla and Malpura sheep, etc. State Governments are finding it difficult to save these threatened breeds due to poor financial resources. Shri Rajnath Singh said that preservation of these threatened breeds of livestock and improvement in their productivity can play an important role in providing rural employment and meeting the international obligation of conservation of such breeds for future generations.

Participating in the deliberations, the Members appreciated the launch of the scheme, but expressed the view that the amount sanctioned for the scheme is too little. They also expressed the need for effective monitoring of implementation of the scheme. Responding to the suggestions made by the Members, the Agriculture Minister said that during the mid-term review of the 10th plan, efforts would be made to get the plan allocation for the scheme increased.

The Members who attended the meeting included: S/shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Rattan Lal Kataria, K.P.Siingh Deo, Haribhai Chaudhary, Ram Murti Singh Verma, Devendra Singh Yadav, Pyare Lal Shankhwar, Kalava Srinivasulu, Chaoba Singh and Mahendra Singh Pal from Lok Sabha and S/shri M.J.Varkey Mattathil and V.V.Raghavan from the Rajya Sabha.