National Livestock Mission (NLM) for Goat Farming: Rules and Current Status

The National Livestock Mission (NLM) is the central government scheme that has supported goat breeding units with a capital subsidy. This guide explains what it offered, where it stands now, and what you can do while it is being revised.

What the National Livestock Mission is

NLM is run by DAHD, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. It has three parts: breed development (including the entrepreneurship programme for goat, sheep, poultry and pig units), feed and fodder development, and innovation and extension. The part that matters most to goat farmers is the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NLM-EDP), which gave a capital subsidy for setting up breeding units.

Applications were made online through the NLM portal, run by SIDBI for DAHD, at nlm.udyamimitra.in.

Timeline

The NLM portal says online applications “shall be started soon” and that the date will be shared on the portal. As of 11 November 2026, no date had been announced.

What the 2021–26 rules offered goat farmers

These are the rules of the programme that is now closed to new applicants. The revised scheme may be different.

• Subsidy: 50% of the capital cost, up to the maximum for the unit size, paid by the Centre in two equal instalments through SIDBI and the lending bank.
• Not covered: working capital, land, rent or lease, and personal vehicles.
• Who could apply: individuals, self-help groups, farmer producer organisations, farmer cooperatives, joint liability groups and Section 8 companies.
• Main conditions: training or experience in goat farming (or experts on the team); a bank loan sanction, or bank-appraised self-finance with a bank guarantee; own or leased land (except for groups); at least 10% of the project cost as your own contribution; and running the unit for at least three years.

Source: Comprehensive Operational Guidelines for NLM, January 2025, pages 5 and 13–15.

Note that units were sanctioned only in these fixed sizes. A farm of, say, 150 goats was not one of the listed unit sizes.

What you can do while NLM is being revised

• Watch the official sources. The revised guidelines and the reopening date will appear on nlm.udyamimitra.in and the DAHD NLM page.
• Do not pay anyone who promises an NLM approval now. No new goat proposals are being approved under the existing programme.
• Prepare your project report. Banks lend for goat units with or without a subsidy, and any revised scheme is likely to need one. See our project report guide.
• Get trained. Training or experience was a condition under the 2021–26 rules. See government goat farming training.
• Look at other support. A Kisan Credit Card can cover running costs, and your District Animal Husbandry Office can tell you about state schemes.

To see what a unit would have received under the 2021–26 rules, use the NLM Subsidy Estimator.

Frequently asked questions

Is the NLM goat subsidy open now?

No. As of 11 November 2026, DAHD is not approving new goat proposals under the existing programme, and the portal has not reopened for applications.

I applied before. What happens to my application?

DAHD’s memorandum of 24 September 2026 says pending sheep and goat proposals are being returned on the portal, and that applicants can resubmit under the revised guidelines once they are issued. Projects that were already approved must be completed by 31 December 2026, according to the portal.

Will the revised scheme have the same subsidy?

Not known. DAHD has said only that the scheme is under revision. Do not plan your finances on the old figures until the revised guidelines are published.

Can GoatIndia help me apply?

No. GoatIndia.com is an independent website and is not connected with DAHD, SIDBI or any bank. Applications are made only through the official portal and your bank.

Last checked: 11 November 2026. Sources: DAHD and the NLM portal, linked above. GoatIndia.com is not a government website.