The District Development Commissioner (DDC) Baramulla, Minga Sherpa today released a study evaluating the performance of the Integrated Dairy Development Scheme (IDDS) across various regions of Baramulla district, including non-operation, flood-prone, hilly and other areas. The study prepared by the District Statistics and Evaluation office Baramulla in collaboration with Department of Animal Husbandry Baramulla marks a significant step towards enhancing the dairy sector in Baramulla, promising increased employment, better income for farmers, and overall economic growth in the district.
The ceremony saw the presence of key district officials, including Chief Planning Officer Javaid Ahmad, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Chief Agricultural Officer, and other officers. The study, aimed at evaluating the IDDS Project in District Baramulla, highlights significant strides made by the department in providing comprehensive assistance to targeted beneficiaries, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds with lower incomes and higher unemployment rates.
It further delves deeper into the scheme's set goals, focusing on generating additional employment, improving cattle breeds through selective breeding, and enhancing milk production and processing infrastructure, among other critical criteria. As per the study a total of 1398 cases were received for the years 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 under the IDDS scheme, out of which 1075 cases were sanctioned, resulting in a disbursement of Rs 7.82 Crore to 461 beneficiaries following a thorough vetting process.
Notably, dairy farming has emerged as a major income contributor for individuals under the IDDS scheme in district Baramulla, accounting for 51.47% of their overall earnings. The study further offers strong recommendations to further enhance the scheme's effectiveness including, increasing the subsidy from 50% to 70%, offering low-interest rates for IDDS Unit applicants, ensuring routine health checkups for cows and buffaloes, encouraging banks to support infrastructural costs, and providing subsidies for the day-to-day running costs of established units.
While presenting the study, DDC lauded the committee's efforts in formulating the comprehensive report and instructed the officers to revisit the IDDS unit holders to ensure their operations are sustainable and profitable. Furthermore, Minga Sherpa directed the officers to form a cooperative society to connect individual IDDS unit holders under a common umbrella, enabling them to market their products competitively.