Progressive farmers of JK
Manjeet Kumar, a progressive livestock farmer of Trindi village of Ramgarh block, Samba district, embarked on his odyssey as a successful entrepreneur with implementation of Integrated Sheep Development Scheme (ISDS) in Jammu and Kashmir. Little did he know that his visit to the Sheep Husbandry Department would change his fortune forever. Kumar says that he has all appreciation for the cooperation and support he got from the officials there who guided him towards becoming a successful entrepreneur. He was provided with 25 ewes and 2 rams under ISDS with which he began his vocation as a flourishing entrepreneur. “I earned Rs 1 lakh in the first year of my business by selling ten male sheep (Ram) and afterwards my trade never looked back giving me increased incomes every year,” Kumar asserted. In a message for youth of J&K, Kumar makes a fervent appeal to all the unemployed youth of J&K particularly of Samba district to take benefit of government schemes and establish their own business ventures.
Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir government launched Integrated Sheep Development Scheme in 2020 with a sanctioned budget of Rs 10 crore with an aim to promote establishment of sheep and goat units in the Union Territory.
Kumar added that many people in his village are reaping huge profits through this ambitious scheme which has ultimately transformed their living standards. The villagers are coming forward with high spirit to procure sheep and goats under Integrated Sheep Development Scheme, which is also in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mission of doubling farmers’ income. The Sheep Husbandry Department aims to garner enormous production of wool and mutton through this initiative and put an end to unemployment among youths. The scheme envisages enhancing livestock productivity in a sustainable manner by exploring the potential for export and ‘value-added’ products. The sheep rearing industry is witnessing overall improvement and the socio-economic status of vast majority of livestock producers is also getting a push. This has been attributed to introduction of high genetic potential sheep breeds, exotic breeds for crossbreeding, marketing facilities and preventive mechanisms for endemic ailments.
