If you are considering starting a dairy business to earn an income, the 'Mini Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana' will prove very useful to you. Under this scheme, the Uttar Pradesh government is providing substantial financial assistance to set up a small dairy unit comprising 10 cows. You can avail of this assistance only if you establish a dairy farm using indigenous cow breeds such as Sahiwal, Gir, or Tharparkar. Implemented under the 'Nand Baba Dugdha Mission,' the total cost for setting up a 10-cow dairy unit is fixed at ₹23.60 lakh. The government will provide 50% of this cost—up to a maximum of ₹11.80 lakh—as a subsidy; effectively, the government covers half the expense, while you must arrange for the remainder.

If you lack the funds, you can obtain a bank loan for the 35% share of the cost that you are required to contribute. You only need to arrange 15% of the amount yourself. The cows purchased for the dairy must be in their first or second lactation period and must have calved no more than 45 days prior. It is mandatory to have all cows ear-tagged and insured.

To avail the benefits of this scheme, you must meet certain conditions:
Experience: The applicant must possess at least three years of experience in cow or buffalo rearing, verified by the Chief Veterinary Officer.

Land: You must have at least 0.20 acres of land for dairy infrastructure and 0.80 acres for cultivating green fodder. This land may be self-owned, ancestral, or held under a registered lease of at least seven years. The land must be free from waterlogging issues.

Who is ineligible for the scheme?

You cannot avail the benefits of this scheme if you have already benefited from government initiatives such as the Kamdhenu Yojana, Mini/Micro Kamdhenu Yojana, Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana (under the Nand Baba Dugdha Mission), or the Mukhyamantri Swadeshi Gau-Samvardhan Yojana. 

How to apply?
The application process for the scheme will be online; however, until the official online portal becomes fully operational, you may also apply offline. To do so, you must submit your form either by visiting the office of your district's Chief Development Officer (CDO) or Chief Veterinary Officer, or by sending it via registered post. In the event of a high volume of applications, beneficiaries will be selected through an e-lottery.

How will the subsidy funds be received?
The subsidy will be disbursed in two simple installments. The first installment—comprising 25% of the grant—will be released once the dairy infrastructure, such as the shed, is ready. Subsequently, the remaining 25% of the grant will be provided to the beneficiary after the purchase of the cow. To curb corruption, the entire subsidy amount will be transferred directly to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.