Peshawar
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government has devoloped four mega projects worth Rs1,100 million to promote livestock sector to allievate poverty and generate employment opportunities for tribal people in erstwhile Fata. Under Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP), a gigantic project has been developed by the Livestock Department with proposed allocation of Rs500 million for fiscal year 2019-20 to establish small scale livestock farms and integrated livestock development, officials in KP Government told on Sunday.
The Government has planned to construct 10 cattle markets in all tribal districts on which around Rs200 million would be spent during current fiscal. This would enable farmers to sell and purchase livestock products at their doorsteps by earning maximum profits besides discourage role of middleman and commission culture. Similarly, Rs 300 million would be spent on enhancement of livestock productivity in South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurram, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur tribal districts with special focus on increasing milk, meat and eggs production.
Farmers would be encouraged to look after their male calves for longer peroid of times at least for six to one year so that they could get maximum profits besides bolstering meat production in the province. Government would make special focus on establishment of livestock, research and development facilities with proposed allocation of Rs 100 million to help livestock growers and farmers in treatment of their animals
A mega project worth Rs834.814 million have recently been launched to develop rural poultry besides increasing meat and eggs production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over a period of four years 2019-23. A gigantic ‘Poverty alleviation through development of rural poultry’ has been approved for entire KP spread over 2019-23 period under which one million poultry birds would be distributed among 166,667 households.
Out of this hefty amount, Rs136.936 million would be provided by Federal Government and Rs547.850 million to be contributed by the KP Government for successful implementation of the project. The Government has allocated a substantial amount of Rs70 million for successful implementation of this pro-poor program on ground in KP and erstwhile Fata during 2019-20.
In line with Prime Minister’s vision of reviving the country’s economy through poultry and dairy development model, the KP Government has started distribution of five hens and one rooster/cock among deserving families. ‘Each household family would get ‘five hens and a rooster’ unit after depositing Rs 1050.’ Provincial Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Mohib Ullah Khan last month had formally started distribution of the hen-cock package in Bajaur tribal district.
Registration forms for availing the package can be collected from livestock offices at districts level. Each beneficiary would deposit Rs1050 to get five hens and one rooster with prices at open market was around Rs 5000. He said a monitoring mechanism has been adopted for transparent execution of the project on ground under chairmanship of Project Director Dr Aftab Ahmed.
