Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded a couple from Odisha for their unique initiative in ‘Goat Bank’ to promote goat rearing at the community level.
Addressing countrymen at 110th episode of the popular radio show ‘Mann Ki Baat’ today, Modi highlighted the animal husbandry adopted by professionals from various fields for farmers empowerment. He talked about Jayanti Mahapatra and Biren Sahu, a couple in Kalahandi district who opted for goat rearing to improve their livelihood and others as well in rural areas.
“In Kalahandi, Odisha, goat rearing is becoming a major means of improving the livelihood of the village people as well as their standard of living. Behind this effort is a major decision of Jayanti Mahapatra ji and her husband Biren Sahu ji. Both of them were management professionals in Bengaluru, but they decided to take a break and come to Salebhata village of Kalahandi. These people wanted to do something that would solve the problems of the villagers here and simultaneously empower them. With this thinking full of service and dedication, they established Manikastu Agro and started working with the farmers. Jayanti ji and Biren ji have also opened an interesting Manikastu Goat Bank here. They are promoting goat rearing at the community level. There are about dozens of goats at their Goat Farm,” PM said in the radio programme.
Manikastu Goat Bank has set up a complete system for the farmers. Through this, farmers are given two goats for 24 months. Goats give birth to 9 to 10 kids in 2 years, out of which 6 kids are kept by the bank, the rest are given to the same family which rears goats. Not only that, necessary services are also provided for the care of goats, he said.
He said that more than 1000 farmers from 50 villages are now associated with the couple. With their help, the villagers are moving towards self-reliance in the field of animal husbandry.
“I feel very happy to see that successful professionals in various fields are adopting novel methods to make small farmers empowered and self-reliant. Their efforts are going to inspire everyone,” he said.
Notably, the couple has been awarded with ‘Brands of Odisha Pride of India’ organised by the Sambad Group in January this year.
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