Centre-funded MP cattle schemefails

Kamdhenu Integrated Tribal Dairy Development Scheme,for which the Centre had provided Rs 54.09 crore between 2006 and 2009 to purchase cattle,failed in each of the 11 tribal districts where it was in operation

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Contrary to its public posturing on the cow,the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has swept under the carpet a scam in a Central scheme that saw hundreds of mortalities mainly because old cows were purchased.

Kamdhenu Integrated Tribal Dairy Development Scheme,for which the Centre had provided Rs 54.09 crore between 2006 and 2009 to purchase cattle,failed in each of the 11 tribal districts where it was in operation. While a few better breed cows were bought from Haryana,most animals were purchased from cattle fairs in the state or were supplied by the state livestock corporation. The milk yield dropped substantially from what was promised and the animals died within few months.

In Betul district alone,an inquiry found more than 60 employees of various government departments guilty on various counts,but no action has been taken even two years after the report was submitted.

After this report,probe teams were sent to the remaining 10 districts and each came back with damning reports about missing or dead cattle with beneficiaries having no records.

Animal Husbandry Minister Ajay Vishnoi said the irregularities occurred before he took over. Vishnoi blamed the faulty scheme for the total failure,barring a few success stories. Wrong beneficiaries were selected by district and block-level panchayats. Since beneficiaries got everything free they did not care for the cattle. Also,they themselves lacked basic amenities, he said.

Managing director of M P State Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited Sudha Chaudhary alleged that some beneficiaries sold the cattle cheaply to those who were better off. She said a Lokayukta inquiry is on.

The scheme promised three cows to the beneficiary sanctioning Rs 15,000 for each animal. The beneficiaries were given Rs 10,000 for construction of shed and some amount was sanctioned for three-day training.

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The beneficiaries were given free cattle feed for three months. On paper,8,843 tribals benefited from the scheme.

Besides the Rs 54.09 crore meant for purchasing cattle,Rs 10.22 crore was sanctioned under the Article 2751 as grant-in-aid for welfare activities in tribal areas.

Chaudhary said milk yield went up in the first few months but admitted that one-third mortalities had been reported. She said actions like stopping increments and warning employees found guilty in Betul district were taken by the administration.

Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh accused Shivraj Singh Chouhans government and alleged that 90 per cent of cows given to the beneficiaries died because they were old. When the scheme was launched the state government took credit without giving the Centre its due , Singh said,demanding a high-level probe.