Officials give chicken sets to people. PHOTO: EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI: Following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of helping people generate subsistence at grass-root level through his chicken and egg business model, the Rawalpindi livestock department launched backyard poultry farm project PM’s Murghi Paal Programme.
Poultry Research and Livestock Department distributed a set comprising five chickens and a cockerel to some 250 families on Tuesday while for promotion of healthy meat option, the department would distribute a set of 12 cockerels amongst the masses on October 16.
Government is offering 30 per cent subsidy on these organic chicken, charging Rs1,050 per set of five females and a male from buyers.
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The ceremony was chaired by Director Livestock Syed Nadeem Badar and Additional Director Naveed Seher Zaidi while the units were distributed under the supervision of Deputy Director Dr Sajid Akhtar.
Livestock officials said that all six birds were of indigenous breeds, while the chickens would start laying eggs within 45 days. Each chicken will lay up to 250 eggs a year, they added.
The distribution of birds for poultry meat will take place on Wednesday. Each family will get a dozen cockerels not more than three months old weighing around and 450 grammes.
Livestock department employees will give basic knowledge of backyard poultry farming and necessary medicines to people buying the subsidised chicks.
On Tuesday, officials distributed 1,500 birds and each set was sold for Rs1,050 after 30 per cent subsidy.
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Further, the livestock officials said that they launched the programme on a self-help basis without government’s assistance. They added poultry was a potential domestic industry.
Highlighting how these birds could be utilised, the officials said that people living in suburban areas could daily feed on eggs laid by their chickens while they could also sell them to increase their monthly income.
They said desi eggs were filled with all essential nutrients and help in children’s growth too.
The livestock officials said that they would soon launch a programme for distribution of cattle on a domestic level.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2019.
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