Minister Atul Bora launched 'Bodoland Pig Mission' in Kokrajhar

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: To transform the traditional livelihood into a sustainable economic activity, the Pramod Boro-led BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) has launched an ambitious project – Bodoland Pig Mission – to make BTR a piggery hub in the country.

Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Agricultural Minister Atul Bora formally launched the Bodoland Pig Mission on Saturday in the presence of Handloom and Textiles, Soil Conservation and Welfare of Bodoland Minister UG Brahma and BTC CEM Pramod Boro at a function at Bodofa Cultural Complex, Kokrajhar.

Addressing the huge intending farmers, Minister Atul Bora said that the pork consumption in Assam and the entire northeast was high. "Most of the states of the region import pork from outside to meet their demand. The Bodoland Pig Mission will play a significant role in meeting the demand. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is planning to make Assam self-sufficient in pork production. Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and other north-eastern states spend around Rs 2,000 crore annually to buy pork from other states," he said, and added, "The indigenous tribal people have traditional pig farms in their houses. However, to sustain such farms a scientific way of pig breeding is a must."

Hailing the efforts of BTR chief Pramod Boro to produce at least one-lakh kg of pork daily in the BTR, Bora said that the farmers would get the technology and the monetary support. He also said that 70 per cent people of the state depend on agriculture, and therefore, giving an opportunity to the farmers in the agriculture sector for livelihood is of utmost importance.

Pramod Boro said that pork had the highest demand in the entire northeastern region. "Pork is imported from other states of the country to meet the shortfall. The BTR aims at producing one-lakh kg of pork and 1,700 quality piglets daily, besides giving direct involvement of 30,000 families in pork production activities and 25,000 farmers in feed raw material production," he said.

Boro also said that pig farmers would get skill enhancement training, technology support, piglets, insurance cover and modern breeding facilities.

Boro further said, "Various pro-poor schemes have come to the state and the region, but many of them have not been implemented properly. Corruption was the major cause of failure of such schemes, but now the new government in the BTR has crushed corruption.

"The pig mission will get completed within two years, and the government will ensure support on scientific farming."

Minister UG Brahma said that the Pig Mission in Bodoland would not fail as the requirement of pork is increasing. "Giving technical support for adopting scientific method for the breeding and producing meat will boost the farming sector. The processing of meat is the need of the hour for exports. The state spends at least Rs 1,500 crore to import pork from other states annually. Thus, it will be a great relief if the Bodoland Pig Mission becomes a reality," he said.

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