Rashtriya Gokul Mission | 22 Jun 2019

Government has sanctioned funds under Rashtriya Gokul Mission for setting up of 21 Gokul Grams as Integrated Cattle Development Centres.

• As of now, 4 Gokul grams (Varanasi, Mathura, Patiala, and Phora) have been completed and work is under progress in remaining 17 Gokul grams.

Rashtriya Gokul Mission

• Rashtriya Gokul Mission comprises of two components namely:
  
  • The national program for bovine breeding and National mission for bovine productivity.
• Underlying objectives of the Mission:
  
  • Development and conservation of indigenous breeds in a focused and scientific manner.
  • Undertake breed improvement program for indigenous cattle breeds so as to improve the genetic makeup and increase the stock.
  • Enhance milk production and productivity.
  • Distribute disease free high genetic merit bulls for natural service.

Significant initiatives under Rashtriya Gokul Mission:

• Awards for encouraging farmers/breeder societies to rear Indigenous breeds of bovines:
  
  • Gopal Ratna awards: for farmers maintaining the best herd of Indigenous Breed and practicing best management practices.
  • Kamdhenu awards: for best managed Indigenous herd by Institutions/Trusts/ NGOs/ Gaushalas or best-managed Breeders’ societies.
• Gokul Gram: The Rashtriya Gokul Mission envisages the establishment of integrated cattle development centers, ‘Gokul Grams’ to develop indigenous breeds including up to 40% nondescript breeds (belonging or appearing to belong to no particular class or kind) with objectives to:
  
  • Promote indigenous cattle rearing and conservation in a scientific manner.
  • Propagate high genetic merit bulls of indigenous breeds.
  • Optimize modern Farm Management practices and promote Common Resource Management.
  • Utilize animal waste in an economical way i.e. Cow Dung, Cow Urine
• National Kamdhenu Breeding Centre: (NKBC) is being established as a Centre of Excellence to develop and conserve Indigenous Breeds in a holistic and scientific manner.
• “E-Pashu Haat”- Nakul Prajnan Bazaar: An e-market portal connecting breeders and farmers, for quality- disease-free bovine germplasm.
• Pashu Sanjivni: An animal wellness program encompassing the provision of animal health cards (‘Nakul Swasthya Patra’) along with UID identification and uploading data on National DataBase.
• Advanced Reproductive Technology: Including Assisted Reproductive Technique- In-vitro Fertilization (IVF)/ Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer (MOET) and sex-sorted semen technique to improve the availability of disease-free female bovines.
• National Bovine Genomic Center for Indigenous Breeds (NBGC-IB) will be established for selection of breeding bulls of high genetic merit at a young age using highly precise gene-based technology.

Implementing Agency

• Rashtriya Gokul Mission will be implemented through the “State Implementing Agency (SIA viz Livestock Development Boards).
• State Gauseva Ayogs will be given the mandate to sponsor proposals to the SIA’s (LDB’s) and monitor implementation of the sponsored proposal.
• All Agencies having a role in indigenous cattle development will be the “Participating Agencies” like ICAR, Universities, Colleges, NGO’s, Cooperative Societies and Gaushalas.

Why conservation of Indigenous breeds is the need of the hour?

• Indigenous bovines are robust and resilient and are particularly suited to the climate and environment of their respective breeding tracts and productivity of indigenous breeds is less likely to be impacted by the adversities of climate change.
• The milk of indigenous animals is high in fat and SNF content (The substances in milk other than butterfat and water in the form of casein, lactose, vitamins, and minerals which contribute significantly to the nutritive value of milk).