SAMBALPUR: In a first, the district administration will promote poultry farming among persons with disabilities (PwD) in a bid to help them become self reliant. The initiative will be jointly implemented by the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department and the district veterinary department.
In the first phase, 350 beneficiaries have been identified across nine blocks of the district. Under the programme, each beneficiary will get 50 chicks and a financial assistance of Rs 500 every month for buying the feed and rearing them.
The chicks, sourced from OPOLFED, will be provided to the beneficiaries by the office of the Chief District Veterinary Office (CDVO).
The monthly assistance will be provided only if the beneficiaries rear the chicks properly. The SSEPD officials will monitor the progress of beneficiaries every month to ensure proper implementation of the programme.
District disability rehabilitation officer Rabindra Satpathy said, “A chick generally takes seven to eight months to become full-grown and hence, we have decided to provide the financial assistance for an extended period up to 10 months.”
The beneficiaries can also continue poultry farming for a longer period by buying more chicks. They will have the necessary resources but have to manage the recurring expenses, Satpathy said. The chicks will be distributed among the beneficiaries on February 25.
Before that, skill development programmes will be organised for the beneficiaries in all the blocks and ULBs.