The decision of the Maharashtra government to grant agriculture status to the livestock sector will help create large-scale rural entrepreneurship as it will enable easier access to loans and subsidies, state Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde said on Friday.

She was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day Maha Livestock Expo 2026 in Parli Vaijnath here. "The move would allow livestock farmers to avail credit at agricultural rates and receive a 50 per cent subsidy for animal husbandry activities. People must take initiative in developing the sector as a sustainable source of rural employment," Munde said.