Following protests by the citizens and the Poultry Research Institute and the federal government has partially restored the Murghi Paal scheme, an initiative of the erstwhile Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government, after a brief suspension.
Sources said the funds for the programme have been slashed by 70% while 30% of the funds have been released.
According to sources, in the ongoing budget, 50% of the project funds were released on July 1, 2022, and at the beginning of January 2023, the project was completely abolished and released funds were also withdrawn.
The Poultry Research Institute while returning the funds had sent a protest letter, stating that the return of funds would not only hurt the institute's investment in the project but would also inflict a heavy loss to the public exchequer.
In addition to this, the citizens who deposited the money along with the applications for the project were demanding the provision of chickens instead of money.
Some citizens also threatened to go to court. However, after discussions in the Punjab and federal bureaucracy, it was decided to partially resume the programme.
According to sources, the federal government approved the restoration proposal with further cuts to the project fund. Approval has been granted to distribute the poultry sets from the fund till June 30.
The federal finance ministry has released the funds to the Poultry Research Institute. Assistant Director Dr Atif, the project’s In-charge in Rawalpindi, said that the project has been partially resumed. Soon after the funds were released, the breeding work was started in Punjab’s 11 poultry farms, he said. “These chicks will be from April 30 to May 7 and the first batch will be distributed among the citizens by May 15 while the second and the last batch by June 15,” Dr Atif said.
According to sources, there was a plan to distribute 0.5 million chickens from February to June 30, 2023, but after the deduction in funds, this target has been reduced to 0.3 million chickens.
A set, comprising five hens and one rooster, will be available for Rs1,180. According to the project in charge, the fowl is a crossbreed of indigenous and pure breeds whereas the crossbreeds of indigenous and Egyptian breeds are also included.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2023.
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