Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog – UPSC Prelims

Rastriya Kamdhenu Aayog is an agency under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying) established for the protection of cows.
It has been constituted to organize animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and to take steps for preserving and improving breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.
There are 50 well-defined breeds of cattle and 17 breeds of buffaloes in the country.
It is a high-powered permanent body to formulate policies and to provide directions for the implementation of schemes related to cattle so as to lay more emphasis on livelihood generation for small & marginal farmers, women and youth entrepreneurs.
It functions as an integral part of Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
Rashtriya Gokul Mission was initiated by Government of India in December 2014 with the aim of development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds, genetic upgradation of bovine population and enhancing milk production and productivity of bovines thereby making milk production more remunerative to the farmers.

Livestock economy sustains nearly 73 million households in rural areas.
Even though, the country is the largest producer of milk, the average milk yield in India is only 50% of the world average.
The low productivity is largely due to deterioration in genetic stock, poor nutrition and unscientific management.