[Phase 2] Telangana Sheep Distribution Scheme 2026 for Shepherds / Sheep Producers Societies

Telangana Sheep Distribution scheme 2026 is a subsidized sheep distribution scheme launched by the Government of Telangana in June 2017. It was started to support the traditional shepherd communities of Golla, Kuruma and Yadav in the state. The scheme gives each eligible family a unit of 20 sheep and one ram with a 75 per cent government subsidy. The first and second phases of the scheme have been completed, and the current Congress government under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has been reviewing the scheme after allegations of corruption in the earlier phases.

As of 2026, there is no confirmed date for a new phase of the sheep distribution scheme. Thousands of beneficiaries who had already paid their share in the earlier phases are still waiting for their sheep units. Sheep rearer organisations have been demanding that the government transfer the scheme amount directly to the bank accounts of these beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer (DBT).

Telangana Sheep Distribution Scheme Update

The scheme was launched on 20 June 2017 by the then Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao. Of the Rs. 1.25 lakh cost per unit, the government provides 75 per cent (Rs. 93,750) and the beneficiary bears 25 per cent (Rs. 31,250). The scheme is implemented by the Telangana State Sheep and Goat Development Cooperative Federation (TSSGDCF). Sheep are purchased from other states to avoid recycling and to increase the net sheep population in the state. The sheep breeds chosen are Nellore Brown (Dora), Nellore Jodipi, Deccani and Madras Red.

The first phase of the scheme was started on 16 January 2021 at Nalgonda. Around 3.93 lakh sheep units, each with 20 sheep and 1 ram, were distributed to eligible members of the Golla Kuruma community in the first phase. The government spent about Rs. 5,000 crore in the first phase.

The second phase of the scheme was started on 24 October 2021 and later resumed on 5 June 2023 as part of the 21 day decennial celebrations of Telangana State Formation Day. Around 3.5 lakh families were to benefit in the second phase. The government had allocated about Rs. 6,000 crore for the second phase. The sheep unit price was increased to Rs. 1,75,000 from the earlier Rs. 1.25 lakh, and the beneficiary share of 25 per cent was increased from Rs. 31,250 to Rs. 43,750.

Highlights of Telangana Sheep Distribution Scheme

Eligibility Criteria

The scheme is made for the traditional shepherd communities of the Kurumas and Yadavas in Telangana. Every person aged above 18 years from the shepherd community is eligible for the scheme and is given a unit of sheep, which has 20 sheep and a ram. A three-member committee comprising the MRO, MDO and a veterinary doctor is set up to identify the beneficiaries.

Benefits of the Scheme

Telangana Sheep Distribution Scheme has helped the Golla Kuruma community both socially and economically. The state has surpassed Rajasthan and became number one in sheep population in the country. The scheme has also helped the state emerge on top in the dairy sector.

Along with the sheep units, the government also provides other support to the beneficiaries:

• Mobile veterinary units were started to attend to sickness and treatment of animals for the scheme. The toll free number is 1962.
• The shepherd farmer receives insurance in case of a death of an animal. The government gives Rs. 5,000 for a sheep and Rs. 7,000 for a ram.
• For providing fodder, the government gives 75 per cent subsidy on grass seeds.

Current Status and Concerns

The sheep distribution scheme was implemented during the earlier BRS government, and it was later marred by allegations of corruption and commissions. In June 2024, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) made ten arrests in the case, including top officials of the veterinary and animal husbandry department. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also stepped in to probe the suspected money laundering angle in the alleged sheep distribution scam. The ACB had alleged a Rs. 700 crore scam in the scheme.

A CAG report released in February 2024 also pointed out irregularities in the scheme. The report said that records showed sheep being transported on a single bike, in cars, buses and ambulances, and that sheep were shown as distributed even to people who had died. The CAG raised objections on the use of about Rs. 253.93 crore in the scheme.

Sheep rearer organisations have been demanding that the government transfer Rs. 2 lakh directly to the beneficiaries who had paid their demand drafts for the scheme during the earlier government but have not received their sheep units. The organisations have been asking the present Congress government to implement the same, which was also promised by the Congress before the 2023 assembly elections.

How to Apply

There is no separate online application process for the Telangana Sheep Distribution Scheme. The beneficiaries are identified by the local administration. A three-member committee comprising the MRO, the MDO and a veterinary doctor is set up to identify the eligible beneficiaries from the Golla and Kuruma communities.

STEP 1 - Eligible families from the Golla, Kuruma and Yadav communities are identified by the three-member committee at the village and mandal level.

STEP 2 - The identified beneficiaries are asked to submit their demand drafts for the beneficiary share of the sheep unit cost.

STEP 3 - Once the share is paid, the sheep units are handed over to the beneficiaries at the distribution camps organised by the district administration.

Official Website

For the latest updates on the Telangana Sheep Distribution Scheme, eligible people can check the official website of the Telangana State Sheep and Goat Development Cooperative Federation and the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Telangana.

Source / Reference Link: https://telanganatoday.com/sheep-distribution-to-resume-from-october-24-talasani