Now, dairy farmers can insure newborn calves for just Rs 60

This is music to the dairy farmers and may perhaps also lead to a white revolution in Jharkhand.

Farmers involved in dairy farming across the state can now insure their newborn calves for just Rs 60 for coverage of Rs 7,000-Rs 14,000 for accidental injuries and death. And if this weren't enough, there is also a bonus of additional self-insurance accident coverage of Rs 1 lakh for every farmer opting for this novel calf-insurance policy.

The requirement of milk in the state is 92 lakh metric tonnes (MT) per year, but the supply is a meagre 58 lakh MT.

In fact, the deficit is so high that the Bihar state milk co-operative federation, under the brand Sudha, supplies 3 lakh litres of milk to Jharkhand.

With the calf insurance policy in place, the deficit in the supply of milk is likely to reduce.

This policy is currently being offered by the United India Insurance Company and comes as a part of the unique initiative by Bharatiya Agro-Industries Federation (BAIF) to upgrade the animal breed across 24 districts of the state.

"Under the policy, farmers can insure the calves as they reach the age of one month for just Rs 60 and avail the coverage benefits of Rs 7,000-Rs 14,000. They will get Rs 7,000 in case of accidental death of the calves aged six month and Rs 14,000 for calves aged 12 months," Arun Kumar Sinha, the East Singhbhum district dairy development officer, said.

The USP of the unique policy is, however, the self-insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh for farmers concerned, which comes for the same Rs 60 as an added incentive.

"In fact, a farmer in Sahebgunj district already got the benefit of this policy,"
added Sinha.

"The idea is to promote artificial insemination among dairy farmers so as to improve the cow breeds and increase the milk yield dramatically," said Sinha.

The charge for every insemination bid is Rs 100 and the farmers are provided with 2kg mineral mixture twice and 2 litre calcium once after insemination.

"While the domestic breed of cows delivers 1-2 litres of milk every day, the progeny breed will deliver about 6-7 litres of milk a day. But we need to publicise this as only 6,000 of the 29,000 cows in the district have so far opted for artificial insemination and the policy," said Sinha.

Traders forced to pay Rs 15 lakh at gunpoint

Miscreants looted Rs 15 lakh from a group of villagers at gunpoint near Murathakra under the Gurabandha police station area on Saturday.

The incident occurred when the villagers from Jugisole village of Dhalbhumgarh block were on their way to Saraskona weekly market in Odisha.

The villagers are in cattle business and they regularly visit the weekly market to buy and sell cattle in the Dhalbhumgarh and
Baheragora areas.

With inputs from Sanjoy Dey and Probal Sanatani