Tripura government to give 10,000 cows to farmers; CM Biplab Deb says he will rear cow at residence

Biplab Kumar Deb, the Chief Minister of Tripura, has announced that the state government will be launching a scheme to distribute 10,000 cows among 5,000 farmer families through bank loans to generate employment and “fulfil the demand of milk and help crushing malnutrition”.

Speaking at an executive committee meeting of Tripura Pradesh Krishak Morcha on Sunday, Deb said under the project farmers will have to buy cows with the help of bank loans, interest of which will be paid by the state government.

Deb also told news agency ANI that he will start domestication of cows at his official residence and will consume its milk.

 “Today, I am announcing that I will start domestication of cows at the CM residence along with my family and will consume its milk. This will also inspire people of Tripura to do the same and would help fight malnutrition,” Deb.

Today I am announcing that I will start domestication of cows at the CM residence along with my family and will consume its milk. This will also inspire people of Tripura to do the same and would help fight malnutrition: Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb (4.11) pic.twitter.com/kAn8Vqq6R3

— ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2018

State BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya villages will be identified and beneficiaries selected from those villages. In April, Deb had asked graduates in the state to rear a cow instead of remaining unemployed.

“Every household must rear a cow. Here milk sells for Rs 50 a litre. Had a graduate who has been searching for employment in the last 10 years reared a cow, then their bank balance would have been Rs 10 lakh by now,” he had said.

Biplab said unlike setting up big industries in which “one has to invest Rs 10,000 crore for employing 2000 people”, giving 10,000 cows to 5,000 families will help people start earning in “six months”.

"The government will provide 10,000 cows to 5000 farmerfamilies .. to help solve unemployment problem to someextent, fulfil the demand of milk and help crushingmalnutrition," the chief minister said.

Announcing that the project would be operational by December, Deb said his government will take measures to procure milk and arrange marketing.

The chief minister added that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) would soon buy paddy directly from farmers.

(With PTI inputs)