With an aim to ensure greater wellbeing of the cattle owned by individuals and also improve the hygiene of the village the government is setting up cattle hostels with a capacity to host 200 animals in eight villages in Siddipet district.
The individually owned cattle would be hosted in the common facility which would have a separate section for animals ready to give birth and also animals that are sick.
Each hostel is being built on three acres of land on the outskirts of the village at an estimated cost of ₹1 crore. The initiative of the Siddipet district administration to establish a paid facility is is likely to be emulated by others. The charges are yet to be finalised, however, officials indicate that it would be based on the services farmer wants to avail.
The cattle hostels are coming up in — Irkod in Siddipet rural mandal, Ponnala and Mittapally in Urban mandal, Ibrahimpur, Jakkapur and Gurralgondi in Narayanaraopet mandal and Narmetta and Gatlamalyala in Nanganoor mandal.
These villages were identified based on the existing population of the cattle. Three acres of land was allotted in each of these villages for this purpose and the construction activity is fast progressing. Each hostel will have 10 sheds each and each shed can shelter as many as 20 cattle thereby accommodating about 200 cattle in each hostel.
By ensuring all the cattle population of the village is kept at one location the village would be rid of animal dung spread everywhere. The facility would have a veterinary doctor available on call, required facilities would be provided to the animals, timely medical tests for the cattle and special attention to calves for better feeding. These sheds will have round-the-clock protection, power and water supply and fodder availability. “With such good facilities the cattle are expected to give good yield,” an officer explained.
The farmers would have to feed their cattle and clean the shed where their cattle is being kept. They can also share the fodder among cattle when required. “Self help groups (SHGs) will run these hostels. A gopala mitra will be appointed here. The village sarpanch will be the chairman of the committee that would run the hostel with five farmers as members. It has been estimated that watchman salary will amount to ₹ 20,000 for two persons, power bill ₹ 20,000 and other expenditures will be another ₹ 20,000. Charge per cattle per month would be between ₹ 200 to ₹ 250,” the officer added.
