Army wants Punjab goats to feed jawans

“The Army wants us to supply goats to Jammu and Kashmir for the personnel posted there. They aim to cut the transportation cost on the animals as at present they end up paying huge amounts getting the goats supplied from Rajasthan and other states,” Animal Husbandry,Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister,Gulzar Singh Ranike told Indian Express on Tuesday.

He said that at present are nearly 4,000 families in the state,which have been traditionally rearing goats. On an average each family keeps 20 to 25 goats.

“The state government has already decided to give subsidy to the farmers willing to set up goat farms. The state will provide Rs 85,000 subsidy on a farm that costs nearly Rs 2.75 lakh. Twenty two goats are kept in one such farm. Last year alone,nearly 100 such farms were set up. We are pushing hard to set up more such farms,” Ranike added.

Stating that nearly 75 per cent of the meat consumed in the state comes from outside,he said farmers can earn huge profits if they took to rearing goats.

“A farmer can breed nearly 500 goats in a farm spread over an acre of land. His total expenditure on up keep of the animals per year would come to Rs 2.5 lakh. He can make a progit of more than Rs 5 lakh per annum by selling the animals,” ranike said,adding that the major investment in this farming is one-time only. A goat,on an average,gives birth to four kids. “Even if three kids survive,the average population at the farm can be maintained. It takes one year for goat to grow up and be healthy enough to be marketed,” the minister added.

Contacted,director,animal husbandry,Dr HS Sandha too said the department was encouraging farmers to set up goat farms. “Apart from the subsidy provided by the state government,NABARD also gives subsidy of upto Rs 5 lakh for farms having 500 goats,” Sandha said.

Meanwhile,Ranike said that the government has decided to provide subsidy to marginal and small farmers willing to set up units for the production of milk products,purchase of milch cattle and for rearing calves. He said that the 25 per cent subsidy would be given to farmers from general category and while those from SC category would get 33.33 per cent subsidy. Last year,the state disbursed Rs 9 crore under this scheme,whereas the subsidy in the current year has been increased to Rs 20 crore.

Ranike said that the Punjab was among the 14 states chosen for National Dairy Plan. He said that under this programme,efforts would be initiated to improve the cattle breed and increase milk processing capacity. The government has also chalked out a comprehensive plan to bail out the debt-ridden farmers by promoting subsidiary occupations. Under such initiative Rs 3 crore would be incurred for setting up state-of-the-art Dairy Training Center in Rauni village of Patiala.