Bhawanipatna: Lack of infrastructure and manpower has pushed Kalahandi district’s only goat breeding centre at Jaring to the brink of closure.
This has disappointed farmers of the district who were expecting to earn a living by adopting cattle and goat farming after distress sale and erratic weather condition turned them away from paddy cultivation.
The centre which once raised high hopes among farmers is now reeling under a host of problems with its buildings lying damaged while goat breeding has stopped.
According to reports, former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, keeping in mind the problems confronted by farmers of the district, established the breeding centre at Jaring on National Highway-26.
Due to non-availability essential infrastructure and shortage of manpower goat breeding was stopped in the centre.
Later, sheep rearing was taken up with the assistance by the district rural development agency (DRDA).
However, administrative negligence and apathy soon had its impact of the centre as sheep breeding too was stopped after a few years.
The state government later decided to adopt black Bengal goat breeding at the centre under Centre sponsored Swarna Jayanti Swarojgar Yojana in 2008-09. This programme after receiving initial hiccups took five years to become fully operational.
The breeding centre for black Bengal goats which was established over 68.76 acre of land also met the same fate like the earlier projects and is now lying in a ruined condition.
The centre has two sheds for housing 200 goats. While one shed has been closed down, there are only 76 female goats in the second shed. However, in the absence of a single male goat, there has been no breeding in the centre for the last three years.
This apart, the centre does not have enough grass, feed or water for the farm animals.
While the state government has donated 77 acres of the centre’s land to Sardar Rajas Medical College in the district several people have also encroached upon the farmland.
As a result, the centre is now limited to only 30 acres. This has happened due to lack of foresight of the authorities which has accelerated the closure of one after another project.
Locals demanded revival of the centre by employing adequate number of staff and construction of staff quarters which they believe will definitely boost production of black Bengal goats in the backward district. PNN