Gopeshwar – In a bid to boost the income of economically weaker rural communities, the Animal Husbandry Department is actively encouraging self-employment through poultry farming. So far, 117 new beneficiaries have been linked to the Backyard Poultry Scheme, bringing the total number of farmers benefitting from the scheme to over 1,800.
Chief Veterinary Officer Ashim Dev shared that under this state-run initiative, financial support is provided to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe villagers for setting up small-scale poultry farms. Each beneficiary receives 50 chicks, 6 kilograms of feed, wire mesh, and other necessary equipment to get started.
Local farmers such as Darshan from Pathiyaldhar and Bhagat Kaniyal from Dogri-Kandai village have already seen success through the scheme. They shared that poultry farming is manageable alongside other household tasks and provides a steady source of income. The department also offers guidance and training on poultry farming techniques.
This initiative not only supports rural livelihoods but is also contributing to the expansion of poultry farming in the region.