Jalandhar to have 4,450 new cattle sheds, says Deputy Commissioner

Our Correspondent

Jalandhar, August 3

To promote dairy business among the small and marginal farmers for enhancing their income, the district administration has decided to construct 4,450 cattle sheds in 890 villages across Jalandhar during the current financial year.

Five cattle sheds would be constructed in each village of the district. The construction of 600 cattle sheds has already been initiated in the villages with the help of workers registered under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

“The focus is being laid to help the needy people to get employment under the MGNREGA Scheme besides the construction of cattle shed would motivate the small and marginal farmers towards adopting livestock rather than traditional agriculture,” said DC Ghanshyam Thori.

He further said earlier, under the scheme, individuals were contributing 40 per cent and rest of the 60 per cent was being paid by the government, but this year, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had abolished the condition of 40 per cent to help the small and marginal farmers as the Covid-19 pandemic hit the small and marginal farmers severely. He said the administration had identified 4,450 places in 890 villages where the facility of modern cattle sheds would be built. “The scheme has been divided into three parts for benefiting small and marginal farmers as those farmers who have two heads of cattle would get assistance of Rs 35,000, Rs 60,000 on four heads of cattle and those having six livestock would be eligible to get Rs 97,000,” he added.

He said all BDPOs were directed to identify the beneficiaries as per the criteria fixed by the government, besides the details of the livestock must be checked properly so that shed of the required size can be constructed.