Tamil Nadu government to distribute this big freebie in 2018-19

The Tamil Nadu government has planned to distribute 12,000 milch cows, six lakh sheep or goats to 1.50 lakh beneficiaries under the flagship welfare scheme, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said today. The supply of free milch cows, goats or sheep was one of the pet projects of the late AIADMK supremo and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who formally launched the scheme in 2011.

"In 2018-19, it is proposed to distribute 12,000 milch cows and six lakh sheep or goats to 1.50 lakh beneficiaries under this scheme," Panneerselvam said in his budget speech in the Assembly. He said for this purpose, Rs 248.58 crore has been allocated in the budget.

Since 2011, he said, 75,398 women have been provided one milch cow each and 8.71 lakh poor families received 34.85 lakh sheep or goats.

The Deputy Chief Minister said Rs 50 crore has been allotted in the budget for poultry development and another Rs 25 crore for fodder development schemes.