₹7.33 Crore Grazing Subsidy Credited Directly to Shepherds’ Bank Accounts – Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde

Grazing Subsidy Scheme Provides Substantial Support to Shepherd Families

Mumbai : Under the initiative of the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Maharashtra Sheep and Goat Development Corporation, a total of ₹7.33 crore in grazing subsidies has been directly transferred to the bank accounts of 3,054 shepherds from the Dhangar and similar nomadic communities (Bhaj-K category) across Maharashtra for the financial year 2024–25 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde stated that this financial aid for sheep grazing has helped create a steady source of income for shepherds and supported their economic development.

She further explained that sheep-rearing in Maharashtra is a migratory occupation, and during the monsoon season (June to September), when shepherds return to their native places, they face difficulty in finding suitable grazing areas. The lack of fodder during this period negatively affects the health of the sheep, reducing their productivity and leading to financial losses for the shepherding families.

To address this seasonal fodder shortage, the Animal Husbandry Department in collaboration with the Department of Other Backward Classes and Bahujan Welfare has implemented a grazing subsidy scheme to support shepherd families during the critical monsoon period.

Applications for the scheme were invited online, and beneficiaries were selected through a computerized lottery system managed by the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Maharashtra Sheep and Goat Development Corporation. Based on the number of eligible Dhangar and similar community shepherds in each district and taluka, quotas were set at local levels. Eligible shepherd families received ₹6,000 per month for four months (June to September), amounting to a total subsidy of ₹24,000 per family.

Dr. Shitalkumar Mukne, Managing Director of the Corporation, confirmed the implementation details, emphasizing the positive impact of the subsidy in improving the health of the sheep and boosting the economic well-being of shepherds.

So far, ₹7.33 crore has been disbursed via DBT to 3,054 beneficiaries under this scheme. The initiative was closely monitored and supported by Dr. Ramaswamy N., Secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department.