In order to compliment and supplement the efforts made by the States for promotion, development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds including breeds of Gir and Sahiwal Government of India has initiated following programmes (i) Rashtriya Gokul Mission a new initiative initiated as a part of National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development exclusively for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds including Gir and Sahiwal breed of cattle; (ii) National Dairy Plan-I a World Bank assisted project being implemented in 18 major dairy States covering development and conservation of 12 indigenous breeds of cattle and buffaloes namely (i) Gir; (ii) Kankrej; (iii) Tharparkar; (iv) Sahiwal; (v) Rathi; and (vi) Hariana cattle breeds and (i) Marrah; (ii) Mehsana; (iii) Pandharpuri; (iv) Jaffarabadi; (v) Banni and (vi) Nili Ravi buffalo breeds and Government has also established three subordinate organizations namely (i) Central Cattle Breeding Farms (CCBFs) (ii) Central Herd Registration Scheme and (iii) Central Frozen Semen Production & Training Institute These organization are also undertaking development and conservation of indigenous breeds namely (i) Tharparkar; (ii) Red Sindhi; (iii) Gir; (iv) Kankrej; (v) Ongole; (vi) Hariana and (vii) Rathi breed of cattle and (i) Surti; (ii) Murrah; (iii) Meshsana and (iv) Jaffarabadi breeds of buffaloes.
Indigenous breeds namely Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi and Red Sindhi have been classified as dairy purpose breed and have potential for higher quantity of milk production.
In order to complement and supplement the efforts made by the States for promoting indigenous breeds to produce milk from indigenous cows including Gir and Sahiwal Government of India is releasing funds to the States for implementation of the scheme namely (i) Rashtriya Gokul Mission part of National Programme for Bovine Breeding & Dairy Development and (ii) National Dairy Plan.