Administration distributes subsidised poultry birds among deserving women

ISLAMABAD-The Directorate of Agriculture Extension Services organised an event to distribute subsidised poultry birds among the deserving women of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) at Tarlai Civil Veterinary Hospital, Islamabad on Friday.
More than 200 units, each comprising five hens and one cock, were distributed among the individuals on 30 per cent subsidy. The distribution was part of the Prime Minister’s ‘Backyard Poultry’ initiative. Under the initiative, a total of one hundred thousand poultry birds would be distributed among the deserving individuals in the coming four years. In the current year, the Directorate has to distribute 18,000 birds. The government has given 30 per cent subsidy for these poultry birds.
Speaking on the occasion, ICT Director Agriculture, Waqar Anwar apprised that all the birds distributed are 90 days old and completely vaccinated, meaning that they will be ready for laying eggs in another week or two and that they will not succumb to maladies easily. 
The Director further said that all the women among whom poultry birds have been distributed have been trained through trainers of the ICT Livestock department and Livestock & Dairy Development Board in order to derive maximum benefit from the scheme in line with the vision of the Prime Minister. Director Agriculture further said that large presence of women folk speaks of the success of the initiative, which is aimed at addressing stunted growth in poor households, providing nourishment, supplementing family incomes through sale of organic eggs, besides job-creation and making women participative for poverty alleviation.
Prime Minister had announced National Agriculture Emergency Program for reformation and rehabilitation of farming community. A number of interventions like construction of water courses, building of farm ponds, dug wells and subsidy on enhancing wheat productivity were introduced. Backyard poultry is one of the initiatives and its target area is especially women and rural areas. Director Agriculture Waqar Anwar further said that the initiative has great potential to lift poor households from the morass of poverty. He expressed hope that people will get maximum benefit from the scheme and will keep poultry birds to materialise the vision of the Prime Minister of economic well-being of the poor.
Meanwhile, the ICT administration has launched an awareness campaign against the unauthorised use of polythene bags in the area of Bhara Kahu. The campaign was arranged in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Protection Agency, according to officials.