Shepherds allege delay in Anugrah Yojana compensation

Haveri:Shepherds in Haveri district are facing delays in receiving compensation under the Anugrah Yojana, a government initiative to provide relief to farmers in the event of premature death of sheep or goats due to diseases or other reasons. The scheme, which aimed to provide compensation of Rs 5,000 for the death of large sheep and Rs 3,500 for small sheep, has reportedly not been providing relief to farmers in recent days.

Farmers were required to submit a post-mortem report, along with a photo of the deceased sheep, to the Animal Husbandry Department to claim compensation. However, shepherds in Haveri allege that despite fulfilling the necessary procedures, they have not received any relief under the Anugrah Yojana. Nagaraj, a shepherd from Hosritti in Haveri taluk, expressed his frustration, stating that more than 15 sheep had died in his sheepfold in recent months, and the compensation promised by the government was not forthcoming.

The Deputy Director of Haveri Animal Husbandry Department, Dr. S.V. Santi, acknowledged the issue and explained that the government had not released funds for the Anugrah Yojana for Haveri district from December 2021 to March 2023. The scheme, which stopped since April again resumed in September 2023, has faced delays in compensating farmers for the death of around 800 sheep in the district since its reinstatement.

Dr. Santi mentioned that a proposal has been submitted to the State Sheep and Wool Development Corporation regarding the compensation. In the larger context, it was revealed that a total of 18,000 sheep died in Haveri district, resulting in an estimated compensation of about 9 crore rupees. The Anugrah Yojana, which has seen 1,34,195 sheep and goats perish in the state over the last three years due to various factors, including accidents, natural calamities, and diseases, requires the distribution of over 65 crore rupees in compensation.

The government’s failure to release funds for the Anugrah Yojana has left farmers in Haveri district facing financial uncertainties and seeking prompt resolution to the issue.