As part of ruling AIADMK's flagship scheme of providing 60,000 milch cows free of cost for intended beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu, a total of 36,000 cows have been distributed in the last three years, the government said today.
Minister for Milk and Dairy Development V Moorthy said 36,000 cows have been provided to the beneficiaries since 2011-12.
"The habitations where these cows have been provided are covered by the milk routes of Aavin (the state-owned milk supplier) and milk is being procured daily from these beneficiaries thereby providing them with a steady source of income," he told the state Assembly.
In order to incentivise milk production, which was 70 lakh tonnes in 2012-13, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had increased procurement price by Rs five per litre in the last three years. However, the burden was not passed on to the consumer, he noted.
