Milma’s EMRCPU to roll out Rs 5 cr cattle insurance-cum-welfare package
Kochi / December 15, 2023
Kochi, Dec 15: In a pioneering initiative in the dairy sector, Milma’s Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU) is set to implement comprehensive cattle insurance and animal welfare schemes for the benefit of its 1,000-plus farmers in Idukki, Kottayam, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts.
The package envisages an overall expenditure of Rs 5 crore, comprising insurance premium subsidy, services of veterinary doctors, distribution of mineral mix, telemedicine through WhatsApp, ERCMPU Chairman Shri M.T. Jayan said today.
The scheme ensures the facility of doctors visiting houses of dairy farmers to provide medicine for ailing cows. The farmer has to pay Rs 300 as fee for the consultation of his first insured cow and Rs 100 each for the subsequent cattle-heads. The ERCMPU will provide a subsidy of Rs 500 per cow for up to four. Also, there will be insurance cover for cattle-heads that die or suffer permanent disability.
Further, each insured cow will be eligible for mineral mixture of close to Rs 500, Shri Jayan revealed. With financial assistance from the National Dairy Development Board, this will be given freely.
Also Milma’s doctors will conduct medical camps at the cooperative societies of ERCMPU. Such initiatives will prescribe solutions for infertility, which is a major issue among cattle.
“Already, ERCMPU is giving farmers Rs 15,000 as ex gratia in the event of death of cows. But that off-sets only a fraction of the loss suffered by the farmers. So we have come out with this new comprehensive insurance scheme,” Shri Jayan pointed out.
The telemedicine project facilitates informing through WhatsApp the medicines the farmer must give to cows that is suffering from less-serious diseases. This is after the farmer informs the matter to the co operative society’s secretary, who will forward the message to the doctor. This arrangement is already in practice after the scheme was implemented on the National Milk Day (November 26), Shri Jayan added.
