Maintenance of Pregnant Desi/Indigenous Cow/Buffalo Ration Scheme, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh state government scheme
The Maintenance of Pregnant Desi/Indigenous Cow/Buffalo Ration Scheme gives BPL families in Himachal Pradesh a 50 per cent subsidy on balanced cattle feed, up to 3 kg per day per animal, for a maximum of 2 animals, for 3 months. Apply free on hpahdbt.hp.gov.in or at your nearest veterinary institution.
What is the Maintenance of Pregnant Desi/Indigenous Cow/Buffalo Ration Scheme?
The Maintenance of Pregnant Desi/Indigenous Cow/Buffalo Ration Scheme is a state-sector scheme of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Himachal Pradesh. According to the department's official subsidy portal at hpahdbt.hp.gov.in, the scheme provides a 50 per cent subsidy on balanced ration for pregnant indigenous cows and buffaloes, at the rate of 3 kg per day per animal, for a maximum of 2 animals, for 3 months. The portal describes the scheme as covering pregnant cows and buffaloes during the lactation and dry periods, and puts the annual target at the order of 6.5 lakh animals across the state.
The scheme runs in two parallel streams on the same portal:
- Maintenance of Pregnant Desi/Indigenous Cows Ration (General BPL), open to BPL families of all categories.
- Pregnant Desi/Indigenous Cow/Buffalo Ration (SC Category): reserved for BPL families belonging to the Scheduled Caste category.
The two streams carry the same technical benefit. They exist as separate entries because they draw on different budget heads, one from the general state plan and one from the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan. When you open hpahdbt.hp.gov.in you will see both listed, and you should apply under the one that matches your household.
Why the state pays for feed during pregnancy. The last stage of pregnancy is when a cow or buffalo needs the most concentrated nutrition and when a poor household is least able to buy it. An underfed pregnant animal produces a weak calf, a shorter and lower first lactation, and takes longer to conceive again. Three months of balanced ration at the right moment protects the productive life of the animal and the household's milk income, which is why the Department of Animal Husbandry treats it as a targeted welfare measure rather than a general feed subsidy.
Who is eligible for the pregnant cow and buffalo ration scheme?
You can apply if:
- Your family is on the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list of your gram panchayat. This is the central condition of the scheme, and it is not waived.
- You are a bonafide resident of Himachal Pradesh.
- You keep a desi or indigenous cow or buffalo, the scheme is aimed at indigenous stock, not at exotic or crossbred animals.
- The animal's pregnancy is confirmed and certified by a departmental veterinary officer.
- You have a bank account in your own name for the DBT component.
- For the SC stream, you additionally hold a valid Scheduled Caste certificate.
You cannot apply if:
- Your family is not on the BPL list. A small landholding or low income by itself does not qualify you; the BPL entry is the test.
- The animal is not pregnant, or the pregnancy is not certified by the veterinary officer.
- The animal is not a desi or indigenous cow or buffalo as defined by the department.
- You are not a resident of Himachal Pradesh.
- You are claiming for a third or further animal. The cap of 2 animals per family is firm.
- You are a commercial dairy or an institution rather than a BPL household.
How much is the benefit worth?
The benefit is a 50 per cent subsidy on the cost of balanced ration. The quantities are fixed:
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Ration quantity | 3 kg per day per animal |
| Animals covered | Maximum 2 per family |
| Duration | 3 months |
| Subsidy share | 50 per cent, borne by the state |
| Beneficiary share | 50 per cent |
Over three months, 3 kg a day works out to roughly 270 kg of balanced ration per animal, and the state pays half of that cost. The rupee value therefore depends on the ration rate applicable in that year, which the Department of Animal Husbandry notifies rather than fixing permanently. This guide does not quote a rupee figure for that reason, ask the veterinary institution or call 1800-180-8006 for the current rate.
What documents are required?
| Document | Mandatory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BPL certificate or panchayat BPL list entry | Yes | The core eligibility test |
| Himachali bonafide certificate | Yes | Residence proof for a state-funded scheme |
| Aadhaar card | Yes | Identity verification |
| Bank passbook | Yes | Front page with account number and IFSC |
| Veterinary certificate of pregnancy | Yes | Ties the benefit to a confirmed pregnancy |
| Caste certificate | No | Only for the Scheduled Caste stream |
How to apply for the pregnant cow and buffalo ration scheme
- Get the pregnancy confirmed at your nearest veterinary hospital or dispensary. Without the veterinary officer's certificate, nothing else in the application can proceed.
- Collect your BPL proof from the gram panchayat — the BPL certificate or a certified extract of the BPL list showing your family.
- Open hpahdbt.hp.gov.in, the Department of Animal Husbandry's official subsidy portal, and register with your mobile number.
- Choose the correct stream. The General BPL scheme, or the SC category scheme if your family is a BPL household of the Scheduled Caste category.
- Fill the form with your personal details, the number of pregnant animals you are claiming for (up to 2), and your bank account number and IFSC exactly as printed in the passbook.
- Upload the scanned documents listed above and submit. Save the application number from the acknowledgement screen.
- Await verification. The veterinary officer verifies the animals and the BPL status, after which the subsidised ration is arranged and the subsidy accounted for.
Offline route. Take the same documents to the nearest veterinary hospital or dispensary and fill the paper form there. Keep the receipt. The application goes from the veterinary institution to the Block Veterinary Officer and then to the District Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry. The department states on hpahdbt.hp.gov.in that its payment gateway integration is still in progress and that parts of the process currently operate offline, so the paper route is fully normal, and it is the route most BPL households in the interior blocks actually use.
Assisted filing. Any Lok Mitra Kendra will file the online application for you at the fixed charge the department has notified for its online schemes. No centre may charge more than that notified amount.
How do you check your application status?
- Log in to hpahdbt.hp.gov.in with the mobile number you registered.
- Open the track-application section and enter your application number.
- If the status has not moved, ask at the veterinary institution that certified the pregnancy, since verification and sanction happen at block and district level.
- Call 1800-180-8006 or +91-177-2830089 between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Why applications get rejected
- Not on the BPL list. This is the single most common rejection, and it is not something the veterinary officer can waive.
- Pregnancy not certified. A self-declared or private certificate is not a substitute for the departmental veterinary officer's confirmation.
- Animal is crossbred or exotic, outside the desi and indigenous scope of the scheme.
- Claim for more than 2 animals, in which case the excess is struck off rather than the whole application being rejected.
- Bank name mismatch between the passbook and Aadhaar, which stops the DBT credit even after sanction.
- Wrong stream chosen, an SC household applying under the general head, or the reverse, which sends the file back for correction.
Most of these are fixable. Get the BPL entry corrected at the panchayat, have the bank update the name on your account, or refile under the correct stream with the same documents.
Where do you get help or complain?
- Toll-free helpline: 1800-180-8006
- Directorate: +91-177-2830089, Department of Animal Husbandry, Pashudhan Bhawan, Boileauganj, Shimla 171005, open 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Email: dir-ah-hp@nic.in
- Veterinary ambulance: toll-free 1962 for animal health emergencies
- CM Helpline 1100 for a formal grievance against any Himachal Pradesh department
Applying is free. No official or agent may charge you to be added to the beneficiary list, and the 50 per cent you pay is your share of the feed cost alone, against a receipt.
Documents required
Frequently asked questions
How much subsidy does the pregnant cow and buffalo ration scheme give?
The scheme gives a 50 per cent subsidy on balanced ration at the rate of 3 kg per day per cow or buffalo, for a maximum of 2 animals, for 3 months. The beneficiary family pays the remaining 50 per cent of the feed cost.
Who is eligible for the pregnant desi cow and buffalo ration scheme?
BPL families in Himachal Pradesh who keep a pregnant desi or indigenous cow or buffalo are eligible. The Department of Animal Husbandry runs two streams on hpahdbt.hp.gov.in — one for BPL families of all categories and one specifically for BPL families of the Scheduled Caste category.
Who cannot apply for this scheme?
A family that is not on the Below Poverty Line list cannot apply, however small its landholding. Owners of exotic or crossbred animals outside the desi and indigenous definition, animals whose pregnancy is not certified by a departmental veterinary officer, and non-residents of Himachal Pradesh are also not eligible.
How many animals can one family claim for?
A maximum of 2 animals per family. Even a household keeping four or five pregnant animals gets the subsidised ration for only two of them, so that the limited budget reaches more families.
How long does the ration support last?
3 months per animal. The support is timed around the pregnancy, when the nutritional demand on the cow or buffalo is at its peak and an underfed animal produces a weak calf and a poor first lactation.
Why does the scheme cover only desi and indigenous animals?
The scheme is part of the state's push to conserve and improve indigenous cattle and buffalo stock. Himachal Pradesh's Department of Animal Husbandry targets support at desi and indigenous animals because they are hardier in hill conditions and because their numbers have fallen relative to crossbreds.
Where do I apply and is there any fee?
Apply free at hpahdbt.hp.gov.in or at your nearest veterinary hospital or dispensary. There is no application fee. A Lok Mitra Kendra may charge only the government-notified assistance fee that the department has fixed for its online schemes.
Whom do I contact if the subsidy does not reach me?
Call the department's toll-free number 1800-180-8006 or +91-177-2830089 between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM, or write to dir-ah-hp@nic.in. If that does not resolve it, take it to the District Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, or file a grievance on the Himachal Pradesh CM Helpline 1100.
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