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| Friday, 13 June 2003 |
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by Uditha Kumarasinghe The Agriculture and Livestock Ministry will introduce a novel concept "Gokula Gammana" project with the intention of implementing a massive development plan to uplift the country's ailing livestock sector which has recorded a severe setback during the past few years. According to this new project, 30 villages which are situated close to 30 farms in the country belonging to the National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) will be developed as resource centres to introduce modern agriculture and livestock technology at village level, Agriculture and Livestock Minister S.B.Dissanayake told a media briefing on wednesday. The Minister said this project which will function under the purview of the NLDB aims to benefit nearly 7000 families in these 30 selected villages by guiding them towards various employment ventures in the livestock sector. The intention of this endeavour is to develop these selected villages in collaboration with the villagers in those respective villages. At present, the economic condition of nearly 80 per cent of the villagers are at a very low level. Therefore, the Gokula Gammana project has laid key emphasis to uplift the socio-economic conditions of these villagers. Meanwhile, the project will provide quality breeding animals such as milch cows, goats, pigs, quails, ducks and chickens to the people in these villages at concessionary rates with the intention of turn the livestock sphere into a profitable business venture, he said. Dissanayake said the Ministry could turn the NLDB into a profit making institute within a short period of one year which ran under huge losses during the past 19 years. At present, the NLDB is functioning under a systematic plan to uplift the animal husbandry sector. " After 20 years, on a request made by me, steps were taken by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to combine the agriculture and livestock subjects," he said. The Minister said the NLDB has also implemented a new programme to popularise the fresh milk consumption among the people. According to this programme, a new delivery system will be introduced to provide fresh milk to the consumers at their doorstep with effect from next week. Initially, 30 three-wheel vehicles will be deployed in Colombo where fresh milk will be delivered to the people according to their orders. A special promotional campaign will be initiated through the media to popularise this programme among the public. At present, the Ministry has increased the 600 milk collecting centres up to 1200. Through this new programme, the Ministry hopes to offer Rs.20 to 24 to dairy farmers for a bottle of milk. " If we can make this endeavour a success, the country will be able to provide the entire milk requirement locally within ten years," he said. |
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