More than 5,000 kids were born for the sheep given free of cost in 39 panchayats in the district till January this year.
According to a release from Darez Ahmed, Collector, among the several schemes chalked out by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for the welfare of the women employed as agricultural labour and those deserted by their husbands, a pioneering project is the free goat scheme. Under this, for the economic improvement of rural women, each beneficiary is given four goats free of cost. Besides, funds are provided for putting up a shed, insuring the animals and for transporting them.
Under the project, 536 beneficiaries in Perambalur union have been given 2,144 goats at a total cost of Rs.53.60 lakh and they have given birth to 1,255 kids.
In Veppanthattai union, 631 beneficiaries have been given 2,524 goats at Rs.63.10 lakh and they have given birth to 1,307 kids.
In Alathur union, 736 beneficiaries have been given 2,944 goats at Rs.73.6 lakh and they have given birth to 1,286 kids. In Veppur union, 837 beneficiaries have been given 3,348 goats and they have given birth to 1,089 kids.
Thus 2,740 beneficiaries were given four goats each free of cost during the past one year and they have in total delivered 5,268 kids.
Special veterinary camps are organised every month in the panchayats, where the goats have been given free of cost and treatment and counselling is extended for all their problems including insurance. Each kid could be sold after one year for Rs.2,500. Thus these 5,268 kids would be able to fetch Rs.1.31 crore, he added.
The Collector appealed to the beneficiaries to rear the cattle according to the advice of the veterinarians and improve their economic condition.
