A big relief to poultry farmers in the hill districts of Uttarakhand has been announced by the state government through the Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami. Notably, the state cabinet gave a subsidy on poultry food, which was expected to reduce the economic burden of poultry businessmen and encourage self-employment opportunities in less populated regions. Those farmers who have been grappling with the increasing input prices and difficulties in maintaining their operations in the hilly land will find a lot of relief in the scheme.
Under the decision of the government, poultry farmers in nine districts, that is Almora, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Champawat, Pauri, Bageshwar, Tehri, and Rudraprayag, will be able to receive a subsidy of 10 kg of poultry food. This funding is set to have a direct positive effect on broiler farms as well as the farmers related to the poultry valley projects. The cabinet has allocated 1.8 crore for this initiative, amounting to approximately 1,600 farmers in the target districts in phase one of implementation.
The decision is made at a time when the poultry business in Uttarakhand has been experiencing adversity with regard to the high cost of food and transport, as well as poor accessibility of markets in the hilly areas. It has been frequently noted that poultry feed is a significant portion of the expenses of farmers, and it is hard to operate profitably. Through such a subsidy, the government is hoping that the cost of production will be lowered, production will go higher, and poultry farming will become a more viable and profitable enterprise for the locals.
Other than alleviating financial pressure, the subsidy will also enhance the supply of eggs and poultry meat in the state. Today, Uttarakhand relies on deliveries from external areas to fulfil a big portion of its demand, although the government is convinced that with the development of local poultry agriculture, the region will gain more independence in this area. Not only will this provide farmers with a stable source of income, but it will also make sure that there will always be enough protein-rich food.
This move has also been noted by the Dhami government, and it is one of the many steps it has taken towards ensuring the empowerment of the rural community and would reduce migration in the hill districts. The scheme will assist in stabilizing the rural economy by developing more livelihood opportunities in the locality. In line with this, other proposals such as the provision of better transport in Dehradun and growth development projects in Rudrapur also sailed through the cabinet, indicating an all-round strategy to balanced growth in the state.
