The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has launched J&K Poultry Policy, 2020/Operational Guidelines to promote establishment of poultry units in the region and announced a dedicated UT allocation of Rs. 50 crore as subsidy per annum for establishment of broiler/layer farms and other allied activities.This scheme shall compliment other existing or new schemes of Centre or the UT viz J&K Industrial Policy, 2020 and MSME, as per guidelines.Elaborating further, Principal Secretary, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, Navin K. Choudhary informed that Poultry industry represents a major success story in the country and is one of the fastest growing segments of livestock sector. Last decade has witnessed tremendous growth in the poultry sector in J&K, he added saying that poultry farming has come up in a big way in Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Pulwama, Srinagar and Budgam districts with large number of educated youth taking up poultry farming as a sustainable means of earning livelihood.He said that although J&K has an enormous potential and conducive environment for poultry development on commercial lines, still there is significant gap between demand and supply of poultry products. Keeping this in view the Government of J&K has launched J&K Poultry Policy, 2020/Operational guidelines to tap agro-climatic potential of the UT besides creating avenues for self employment and bringing down the yawning gap between demand and supply of poultry products.Choudhary further said that this new intervention shall address critical gaps in the production chain, including infrastructure, modernization, traceability, post-harvest management and quality control. All new farmers, Individual entrepreneurs, NGOs, Companies/ Cooperatives, Groups of unorganized and organized sectors which include Self Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) etc are eligible to avail benefits under the scheme. Interested beneficiaries can avail benefits under any of the schemes viz J&K Industrial Policy, 2020 or MSME, GoI or J&K Poultry policy, 2020 as per guidelines.
Principal Secretary in elaborating the specific incentives under J&K Poultry Policy, 2020 said that it include commercial layer/broiler farms with rearing capacity of more than 10000 birds per unit will be provided capital investment incentive for access to credit @ 30% of the investment in plant and machinery (Farm automation/ equipments) with an upper limit of Rs 50.00 lakh. Besides, commercial layer/broiler farms with rearing capacity of more than 10000 birds anywhere in J&K will be given an interest incentive @3% on working capital credit.Choudhary further informed that under this scheme all eligible new units anywhere in J&K will be eligible for reimbursement of 100% insurance premium on insurance of building and Plant/Machinery. Besides, 100% subsidy on DG sets for Commercial layer/broiler farms with rearing capacity of more than 10000 birds with maximum ceiling upto Rs. 4.5 lakh. Further, 50% subsidy on incinerator subject to maximum of Rs 1.00 lakh for commercial layer/broiler farms with rearing capacity of more than 10000 birds will be provided, he added. He said that developed land as per Industries & Commerce norms shall be allotted by J&K SIDCO/SICOP either in agro processing zones or any other industrial estate & provision of deemed land conversions is also available besides other benefits.Principal Secretary emphasized that the guidelines of the policy have been framed with a view to curtail administrative and procedural delays & Joint Directors, Poultry Hariparbath/Jammu have been nominated as nodal officers at provincial level.Eligible beneficiaries can apply in the office of Nodal Officer and the application after scrutiny shall be placed for approval before a provincial level “Project Approval Committee”. If the project proposal meets all requirements “Project Approval Committee” shall approve the project within one month of its placement.Choudhary insisted that the implementation of J&K Poultry Policy, 2020 is expected to create employment avenues for youth and shall be a big step for making the UT self sufficient in poultry production besides supplementing income of farmers. It will curtail the annual import bill of approximately 900 crore spent on importing poultry and its products from outside the UT.