Nest egg from poultry plans

First the focus was on mineral industries, power and IT, but now the state is zeroing on poultry as a vital sector for employment and income for unemployed youth and rural poor.

Orissa is one of the few states where poultry is treated on a par with agriculture, helping it to receive various incentives. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who undertook a review of various schemes under poultry sector today at the state secretariat, laid stress on promotion of the sector since it has huge employment potential. “Value added tax (VAT) charged on maize and broken rice used for preparation of poultry feed would be reimbursed by the finance department. Similarly, the cooperation department has been asked to waive a per cent of the market tax levied on eggs, chicks and birds, brought to the regulated market committee yards,” said the Orissa veterinary director, Bishnupada Sethi, while talking to The Telegraph today.

Insurance premium for each poultry farm has, in the meanwhile, been revised from Rs 4 per layer bird to a meagre 30 paisa, the veterinary director added. Also, the Orissa electricity regulatory commission has been asked to reduce the tariff for poultry. Other topics highlighted in today’s meeting included a launch of an investment promotion campaign to woo in investors from both inside and outside the state, and establishment and running of hatcheries on a public-private participation mode.

Poultry farmers have been demanding the exclusion of the sector from the purview of Industrial Dispute Act, since, they argue that any labour strike would affect them adversely.

For now the matter is being examined by the state labour and employment department, said a senior official. The state’s production has increased from 12 lakh per day in 2005-06 to 32 lakh during 2006-07.

But still there seems to be a lacuna as the state’s present demand stands at 64 lakh eggs per day.