Sat Apr 05 14:11:59 UTC 2025: ## Kottarakara Panchayat’s Animal Husbandry Projects Boost Rural Income
**KOLLAM, April 5, 2025** – The Kottarakara block panchayat in Kerala is celebrating the success of its innovative animal husbandry projects, which have significantly improved the livelihoods of 27 homemakers over the past two years. The initiatives, funded with a ₹28 lakh allocation, focus on providing subsidized livestock and modernizing dairy farming practices.
Under the *Grihasamridhi-Veettammakkoru Kaithangu* project, subsidies are offered for dairy cows (₹30,000 off a ₹60,000 cow), female goats (₹4,500 off a ₹9,000 goat), and egg-laying hens (₹500 off for 10 hens). Beneficiaries can repay the remaining amounts in installments.
A parallel *mini-dairy farm* project provides a 50% subsidy for modernizing livestock sheds, including equipment like milking machines and rubber mats. This modernization not only improves animal welfare and reduces farmers’ workload but also increases profits through manure-based fertilizer production.
Further bolstering the dairy sector is a milk subsidy program. Farmers supplying milk to cooperatives in five nearby panchayats receive ₹4,000 in assistance, at a rate of ₹3 per liter. Finally, the *Veyilraksha* project protects livestock during summer months, mitigating losses from heat-related deaths and reduced milk production. A technical committee provides ongoing support to farmers.
Block panchayat president A. Abhilash highlighted the projects’ success in boosting profits and efficiency within the dairy sector. The initiative serves as a model for empowering rural women and strengthening the local economy through sustainable agricultural practices.
First Piper 