Livelihood boost: 18K chicks given to tribal women in Malda dist

In an attempt to empower tribal women and meet the increasing demand for eggs and chicken, the Animal Resource Development Department is encouraging tribal women to take up poultry farming projects across the Bamangola block in Malda through self-help groups.

The department has already distributed 18000 chicks in the block for this purpose. Moreover, there are plans to distribute thousands of chicks in the next financial year. The officials of the livestock department have started the process, said the officials.

Block livestock development officer (BLDO) Soumen Majumdar said: “With a motive to empower tribal women and meet the demands for eggs and meat, we have distributed 18000 chicks. In the coming days we will also distribute chicks as per the government instruction.”

Block officials said that tribal women from self-help groups of all six Panchayats of the block- Pakua, Gobindpur Maheshpur, Madnabati, in Bamangola block have been brought under the scheme.

The Livestock Development Department is also providing chicken fodder along with regular vaccination to the beneficiaries at their homes through ‘Prani Bondhu’.

One of the beneficiaries of the scheme, Chameli Mandal Basu, a resident of Salalpur village of Pakua village Panchayat under Bamongola block applauded the initiative of the administration for giving them an opportunity for a financial flight.

“Ten chicks were given to us from the livestock development department for rearing chickens. They are all grown up and healthy now. Vaccination is going on a regular basis from the block. The initiative will benefit us more if more number of chicks are distributed in the coming days”, said Basu.

Sonali Tudu, another beneficiary said: “We were given a 25-day-old chick. The chick has grown up now. It will soon start laying eggs and can be sold on the market.”

“This initiative in turn will boost our financial condition,” she claimed.

According to the officials of the Block Animal Resource Development, the demand for meat and eggs in the block will be met to a great extent in the coming days as most of the chicks distributed in the block in the financial year 2022-2023 are now ready to lay eggs.