For the growth and development of animal husbandry sector, the Centre and State Governments have introduced several schemes and initiatives from time to time. These schemes provide financial assistance to those who are involved in animal husbandry in the form of subsidies or loans.
Recently Tripura’s Education Minister Ratanlal Nath said that the council of ministers has approved a special scheme to help indigenous unemployed youths in the state by providing financial assistance for livestock farming, especially goats.
Speaking to reporters in Agartala, the minister said, “The Tribal Welfare department moved a proposal to introduce a scheme ‘Puno Baniya’ (Kokborok word meaning goat business) & cabinet approved it focusing the main motive of the scheme to uplift the living standards of indigenous natives of Tripura.”
Nath said, “To generate more revenue by the tribal people, a credit-linked goatery scheme where the Self Help Group (SHG) members will receive Rs 2,51,000 for one unit. The beneficiary from each unit has to pay an amount of Rs 25,100 while the state government would pay a share of Rs 1,04,000 & rest of the Rs 1,25,500 will be transferred to their accounts as loan”.
He added that “Tripura Gramin Bank will be the financing agency in the scheme and after getting the money, no installments needed to be paid for 9 months. Once the beneficiaries begin earning then they will pay the EMIs of loan while the state government will be the grantor for the beneficiaries”.
Mentioning the reason behind goat farming being selected for the scheme, the minister said “Goats among all livestock are considered to be immune to numerous diseases compared to heavy losses incurred in pigs & poultry. The fodder purchasing expenses and labour are also less than other livestock rearing. In addition, goats give high returns in a short span. Apart from meat & milk, the goat’s excreta are immensely used as fodder in fisheries”.
Nath said that the beneficiaries would be given a set of 12 goats comprising 10 females and 2 males either from open market or from the Animal Resource Development department. He said that a similar scheme is there to endorse piggery with budget of Rs 2.20 lakh for one unit.
