Context: 

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) to boost growth in the livestock sector. 

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Implementation of revised RGM, as Central Sector component of Development Programmes scheme is being done with an additional outlay of Rs.1000 crore that is total outlay of Rs.3400 crore during 15^th Finance Commission cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Two New activities were added to the Mission: 

(i) One-time assistance of 35% of the capital cost for the establishment of Heifer Rearing Centres to Implementing Agencies for the creation of 30 housing facilities having a total of 15000 heifers.  

(ii) To encourage farmers to purchase High genetic merit (HGM) IVF heifers to provide 3% interest subvention on loans taken by the farmer from milk unions / financial institutions/ banks for such purchase.

Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)

• It has been implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying since 2014 and aims to develop and conserve indigenous bovine breeds.
• The mission focuses on genetic upgradation, enhancing milk production, and improving the productivity of bovines, making milk production more profitable for farmers across the country.

Objectives:

• To enhance the productivity of bovines and sustainably increase milk production using advanced technologies
• To propagate the use of high genetic merit bulls for breeding purposes.
• To enhance Artificial insemination coverage through strengthening the breeding network and delivery of Artificial insemination services at farmers' doorstep.

Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission funds was released for setting up 16 Gokul Grams as Integrated Indigenous Cattle Development Centres.

Achievements of the RGM:

Under the mission the Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) provides free-of-cost Artificial Insemination (AI) at the farmer’s doorstep in 605 districts across the country where the baseline AI coverage was below 50%.

Two path-breaking steps in Atmanirbhar technology are the Gau Chip and Mahish Chip, genomic chips for indigenous bovines developed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) and Gau Sort indigenously developed sex-sorted semen production technology developed by NDDB.

• Sex-sorted semen is processed to separate sperm cells based on their X or Y chromosome content, allowing for a higher probability of producing offspring of a desired sex (female or male).

The majority of the components of the mission are implemented on a 100% grant-in-aid basis.

As of now, over 8.39 crores animals have been covered and 5.21 crores farmers have been benefitted.

The availability of milk per person, which was 307 grams per day in 2013-14, has increased to 471 grams per day in 2023-24

Productivity has also increased by 26.34% in the last ten years.

A total of 22 in vitro fertilization (IVF) labs have been set up across the country under the State Livestock Boards (SLBs) or in Universities.