Madhya Pradesh Plans To Connect Ladli Behna With Increasing Milk Production
The Animal Husbandry Department is developing a plan that aims to give each beneficiary a subsidised milch cow
Published : January 20, 2026 at 5:25 PM IST
Bhopal: Bharatiya Janata Party-led Madhya Pradesh government is moving towards connecting the Ladli Behna scheme with increasing milk production. Plans are afoot to connect the state's 1.25 crore beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme with cow rearing. The Animal Husbandry Department is developing a plan that aims to give each beneficiary a cow. The new scheme may be announced in the forthcoming budget session of the state assembly.
Officials say Madhya Pradesh currently produces 591 lakh kg of milk per day, which is now targeted to be increased by 20% through this new initiative.
The government has envisaged a Ladli Behna Gaupalan Yojana for which a blueprint is being developed. Under this scheme, the beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme will be provided with subsidised milch cows.
Sources said that women will be provided with up to Rs 1 lakh to purchase a cow. The state government will provide a 33% subsidy to women from the Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST), while women from the general and other backward castes (OBC) will be given 25% subsidy.
Women receiving the cows will have to pay the remaining amount in equal monthly instalments.
Officials say that the objective of this scheme is to empower women economically and make them financially independent. The scheme will also lead to an increase in milk production. The government is presently depositing Rs 1,500 into the accounts of these beneficiaries every month.
Director of Animal Husbandry Department, Dr PS Patel, disclosed, "Work on this scheme is underway, and a final decision will be taken at the government level."
Under the Mukhya Mantri Ladli Behna Yojana that began in June 2023, the state government has already deposited Rs 50,000 crore into the women's accounts. The Madhya Pradesh government spends approximately Rs 23,000 crore annually on this scheme.
Officials said the government is aiming to empower women in the state with financial strength beyond this amount. To this end, it is connecting women with training and jobs. The government is also providing Rs 5,000 as financial assistance to women working in employment-intensive industries.
Officials disclosed that the number of beneficiaries under the Mukhya Mantri Ladli Behna Yojana has decreased by 1 lakh in the new year to 1.25 crore. When the scheme was launched in 2023, the number of eligible beneficiaries was 1.32 crore. The maximum age of a beneficiary under this scheme is 60 years.
The state government has been trying to increase milk production through various other schemes as well. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Kamdhenu Scheme was launched in April 2025, while Acharya Vidyasagar Gausamvardhan Scheme and the Dairy Plus Scheme have been in operation since 2016-17.
Also Read
