Kashmir youth take to poultry farming

Pulwama, Sep 24 (ANI): With an aim to increase employment opportunities for the young people in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities have initiated various schemes to encourage them into the arena of poultry farming.

Almost all the houses in Parigam village of Pulwama district possess small poultry farms.

Many young people have taken to poultry farming as it is turning out to be a profitable business.

"When I saw that many educated youth people were unemployed, then I thought of opening a unit and saw that poultry unit was gearing up profits. That is why I opened a poultry unit here. Five-six more people are working here with me and have got employed," said Rouf Ahmad, owner of a poultry farm.

In a span of few months, the poultry farms, in the region, have multiplied and are thriving.

Significantly, numerous villagers are becoming economically self-reliant with the help of government funded schemes for poultry farming.

People employed in poultry farming praised the government initiative and affirmed that the business was helping them in earning their livelihood.

"After apple, poultry industry has reduced unemployment in the region. If you do a survey here, then you will get to know that boiler industry had employed many people here and I am one of them. Many people like me got employment in this poultry industry," Javaid Ahmad, an employee in a poultry farm.

Every month, each unit of poultry farm in Pulwama boasts of almost 5000 chicklets and it is estimated that the numbers shall continue to rise.

According to Chief animal husbandry officer R A Naquashbandi, over 900 poultry farms are functioning across the region. Moreover, they were flourishing due to the aid provided by the federal government funded schemes.

"About 941 poultry farms are functioning in this region. Atleast five to seven people get employed in one poultry farm. A government scheme, Venture Capital Find, in which there is a scheme of Rs. 40 Lakh, another Rs. eight lakh scheme is there for anyone to help them carry poultry birds in personal vehicle. If anyone would like to open a poultry unit, we have a Rs. 6 lakh scheme for him," he saidWe also have schemes for more than Rs. 1 crore for large-scale units. So we would like to request educated young people of our district to take this Government of India's scheme, Venture Capital Find, which will help them in getting employed," he added. (ANI)