The Jharkhand government will ensure that all animals given under the Livestock Development Scheme in rural areas are insured to prevent financial duress in case of a viral outbreak.

“We have seen how villagers ended up in financial disaster after the death of their domestic animals due to viral outbreaks like bird flu. Unfortunately, most of the beneficiaries of the Livestock Development Scheme are not even aware that their animals are insured and that they would not be at a loss in case of death. We would be giving thrust to making animal keepers and farmers aware of insurance schemes from the government and every animal given under government schemes will be insured. Schemes are there in paper but their implementation is not done properly due to lack of awareness among beneficiaries,” said Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren during a function to empanel agencies for livestock suppliers and functioning of Krishak Pathshalas at Ranchi.

Soren also said that soon a meeting would be held with bank officials and insurance companies for ensuring that animals given under livestock schemes are insured from the beginning.

Officials in the Jharkhand agriculture, animal husbandry and cooperative societies admitted that though animals distributed under the Chief Minister Livestock Development Mission should be insured but due to lack of insurance agencies there is a delay in the insurance of the animals.

“Insurance companies do not depute officials for verification of claims in rural areas of remote blocks and this makes animals not being insured. There is a lack of awareness among illiterate villagers on the insurance part and in case of viral outbreaks among animals they land in financial trouble,” said the senior official.

Director animal husbandry Chandran Kumar said that 28 insurance agencies have been empanelled on Wednesday.

“Following the chief minister’s directive we are putting extra thrust on the insurance of each of the animals given under the mukhyamantri pashudhan yojana. We have already empanelled 28 insurance agencies on Wednesday. We will be empanelling further insurance agencies with the department. After empanelment they will be duty bound to depute officials at even remote blocks for completing insurance formalities of animal distribution,” said Chandan Kumar.

Significantly, Jharkhand provides 79 per cent subsidy in purchasing animals under the livestock development scheme which also includes per cent of the insurance amount for the animals. While widows, childless couples and disabled women get 90 per cent subsidy for the purchase of animals.

While under the Kamdhenu Dairy Farming Scheme the subsidy being provided to the beneficiaries belonging to SC/ST for procuring five milch animals namely cows and buffaloes underMini Dairy scheme, and 10 milch animals has been increased from earlier 33.33 per cent to 75 per cent. At the same time, the subsidy given to the beneficiaries coming from other categories exceptthat of SC/ST has been increased from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.