Funds have been sanctioned under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission for setting up 21 Gokul Grams as Integrated Cattle Development Centres. As on date, four Gokul Grams (Varanasi, Mathura, Patiala and Phora) have been completed and work is under progress in the remaining 17 Gokul Grams.

The Rashtriya Gokul Mission aims to conserve and develop indigenous breeds in a focused and scientific manner.

The mission objectives are...

* Development and conservation of indigenous breeds

* Undertake breed improvement programme for indigenous cattle breeds so as to improve the genetic make-up and increase the stock

* Enhance milk production and productivity

* Upgrade non-descript cattle using elite indigenous breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi, Deoni, Tharparkar, Red Sindhi and

* Distribute disease-free high genetic merit bulls for natural service.

The Rashtriya Gokul Mission will be implemented through the state implementing agency (Livestock Development Boards). State Gauseva Aayogs will be given the mandate to sponsor proposals to the Livestock Development Boards and monitor the implementation of the sponsored proposal. Stakeholders having a role in indigenous cattle development such as CFSPTI, CCBFs, ICAR, universities, NGOs, cooperative societies and gaushalas will be participating agencies.

Under this programme, it is proposed to establish Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres or Gokul Grams in the breeding tracts of indigenous breeds.

Gokul Grams will be established in native breeding tracts and near metropolitan cities for housing urban cattle.

Gokul Grams will act as centres for the development of indigenous breeds and a dependable source for the supply of high genetic breeding stock to farmers in the breeding tracts.

The Gokul Gram will be self-sustaining and generate economic resources from the sale of A2 milk, organic manure, vermi-composting, urine distillates and production of electricity from biogas for in house consumption and sale of animal products. The Gokul Gram will also function as state-of-the-art in situ training centre for farmers, breeders and Maitris.

Each Gokul Gram will be set up under the auspices of the state implementing agency or in a PPP mode. The Gokul Gram will maintain milch and unproductive animals in the ratio of 60:40 and will have the capacity to maintain about 1,000 animals.

The animals’ nutritional requirements will be provided at the Gokul Gram through in-house fodder production. A disease-free status will be maintained through regular screening of animals for important diseases like brucellosis, TB and JD. An inbuilt dispensary and AI centre will be an integral part of the Gokul Gram. Gokul Grams will also be set up near metropolitan cities for managing urban cattle. The metropolitan Gokul Gram will focus on the genetic upgradation of urban cattle.

Cattle rearing has been a traditional livelihood in India and is closely linked to the agricultural economy. With 199 million cattle, India has 14.5 per cent of the world cattle population. Of this, 83 per cent (166 million) are indigenous. Most of the indigenous cattle (about 80 per cent) are non-descript and only 20 per cent belong to breeds recognised by the National Bureau of Genetic Resources.

India’s cattle genetic resource is represented by 37 well-recognised indigenous breeds and there are 13 recognised buffalo breeds. Indigenous cattle are robust, resilient and are particularly suited to the climate and environment of their respective breeding tracts. They are endowed with qualities of heat tolerance, resistance to diseases and the ability to thrive under extreme climatic stress and less than optimal nutrition.