Minister launches sheep and goat insurance scheme in Karimnagar

The Minister for Animal Husbandry, Vakiti Srihari, officially initiated a sheep and goat insurance scheme in the Karimnagar district. The initiative aims to support the welfare of the shepherd community, a cause Srihari emphasized as a priority. He was accompanied by Ponnam Prabhakar, the Minister for Backward Classes Welfare and Transport, during the launch event.

Srihari urged sheep rearers to enhance productivity, thereby increasing their incomes. He introduced the scheme which allows rearers to insure their sheep and goats for as low as ₹13 per animal annually, with the government covering the balance. He also announced plans to waive loans for sheep rearers and introduce more welfare measures transparently.

Currently, about 3,200 members are enrolled in around 750 Golla Kuruma cooperative societies in the district. Prabhakar mentioned a proposal to provide pensions to members upon reaching 55 years of age. He also revealed that the Cabinet approved a ₹5 lakh life insurance policy for each member under the Indiramma Bima scheme. The Minister suggested the allotment of vacant government land for sheep rearing and the establishment of a wholesale meat market in Karimnagar.

Prior to the scheme launch, the Ministers unveiled the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at the Karimnagar bus station and honored the statue of Chakali Ilamma on her birth anniversary. The Ministers also attended a "Mudiraj Simhagarjana" meeting in Sircilla and discussed preparations for Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's visit to the town on September 30.