Rejecting reports in a section of the media that claimed consuming broiler meat would result in certain diseases to humans, the State government informed the Assembly on Friday that the claims were not scientifically proven.
During the debate on the demands for Animal Husbandry Department, AIADMK legislator M. Thamimun Ansari (Nagapattinam), who cited reports in a section of the media, raised doubts over the diseases in humans on consumption of broiler meat.
Animal Husbandry Minister P. Balakrishna Reddy intervened to say that the claims were not true as they were “not scientifically proven”. When the Minister said the government was also implementing schemes to promote native breed rearing, Mr. Ansari requested the Minister in a lighter vein to throw a feast with native chicken.
According to a policy note tabled in the House, native chicken has a “better market” throughout the State and the native chicken rearing was encouraged under a scheme wherein a flock size of 250 or 500 birds could be profitably reared and marketed by the farmers themselves.
When Mr. Ansari also sought the government to take steps to encourage usage of bio-fertilisers instead of chemical fertilisers, Agriculture Minister R. Doraikkannu said that the government was already on it.
Kangeyam bullThe Nagapattinam MLA also urged the State government to take steps to protect the Kangeyam bull, which had a long tradition. Textiles Minister O.S. Manian intervened and said that the Umblachery bull also had a long tradition and the government had taken efforts to protect the species.
Mr. Ansari also brought to the government’s notice on the need to relax existing norms to make available various schemes for journalists who have completed 10 years of service. Information and Publicity Minister Kadambur Raju said that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has taken several initiatives to protect the interests of journalists.
