VALPOI: Leave alone getting the benefits of the Kamdenu scheme, dairy farmers in Sattari have not even been properly oriented to extract the benefits of the scheme that was launched by the State government around four years ago.
The apathy seems pertinent bearing in mind that Sattari taluka is the highest milk-producing taluka in the State.
And even though banks have been providing loans as per the merits of each case, they do not explain the intricacies of the scheme that is primarily aimed at benefitting them economically. The farmers have accused banks of keeping them in the dark and not revealing details about the scheme.
The Sattari dairy farmers held a meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the Kamdenu scheme which was implemented by the government in 2013.
Over 100 dairy farmers who were present for the meeting acknowledged that they were earlier getting Rs 60,000 per cow, which was now increased to Rs 70,000 per cow, however this amount too was not sufficient to buy a good cow.
And even though they were getting government subsidy, it was often the case of too little too late. Sometimes subsidies came in after six months or even a year, they claimed.
Subsequently, banks charge interest, which is quite high compared to the rates in other parts of the country, a dairy farmer Ulhas Gaonkar emphasised.
Another dairy farmer Nilesh Parsekar pointed out that the banks which provided the loan failed to explain adequately regarding the scheme and the terms of the loan, even though we have been constantly asking bank employees to explain.
Besides, banks also do not provide insurance for the cow, which is in contravention to the salient features of the scheme, he added.
In fact, most schemes for dairy farmers seem to have dried up and stopped, except Kamdenu scheme.
Farmers lament that this scheme too could meet the same fate, as it required a lot of paperwork and resulted in not reaching the farmers appropriately.
Dairy farmer Bhatuji Gawas says he wants the matter to be taken up at the highest level, so that discrepancies can be ironed out. “What is the use of a scheme for farmers, if it does not reach the farmers?” he questioned.
The dairy farmers also pointed out that facilities implemented specially for them were not reaching them. The veterinarians were not available on time and many a times they do not have medicines for the animals. Besides, the banks that provide loans are cheating us, alleged dairy farmer Shashikant Sawant.
The disgruntled dairy farmers have decided to form a milk farmers association, and through the association hope to take all pertinent issues to the government and also aim to expose the banks that do not act as per requirement, said Sameer Govekar, also a dairy farmer.
