The Chhattisgarh Government has been providing material support to poor families to take up poultry farming as a source of livelihood, officials stated.
The State Animal Husbandry Development Department has distributed nearly 37.13 lakh chicks to more than 76,000 beneficiaries during the past three years under the State Government’s Backyard Scheme, officials stated.
This includes the beneficiaries of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward classes and general category as well.
During 2011-12, 14.29 lakh chickens were distributed to 25,000 beneficiaries whereas in year 2013-14 nearly 13.24 lakh chickens were distributed to 26,000 beneficiaries.
likewise, in year 2012-13, 9.60 lakh chickens were
distributed to nearly 24,000 beneficiaries.
Animal Husbandry Minister Brijmohan Agrawal informed on Monday that under backward scheme, poor families are encouraged for poultry farming and chickens are distributed to them.
Under the scheme, each beneficiary is provided chickens and poultry feed of total worth Rs1200. To the beneficiaries of SC/ST category, the Government provides 90 per cent subsidy.
General and OBC beneficiaries are given 75 per cent subsidy under the scheme.
He said that these chickens and eggs are supplied from the eight Government poultry farms of the department including the ones situated in Durg, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur, Kondagaon, Raigarh, Baikunthpur and Sakalo.
Agrawal said that in these government-owned poultry farms, nearly 84 lakh eggs were produced during the past three years.
As many as 31.29 lakh eggs were in year 2011-12, 32.14 lakh thousand eggs in year 2012-13 and 20.68 lakh eggs were produced in year 2013-14.
During the last three years, 20.67 lakh eggs were produced in government poultry farms of Durg (13.95 lakh) Bilaspur 22, 739 , Asil (9.60 lakh), Kondagaon (10.48 lakh) , Raigarh (15.92 lakh) Baikunthpur (4.60 lakh) and 60,383 eggs in Sakalo.