Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 110th episode of his radio talk show ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday appreciated the efforts of an Odia couple from Kalahandi who became self-reliant by goat rearing even being management professionals in Bengaluru.
Highlighting goat farming as a major means of livelihood, Modi said goat rearing is becoming a major means of improving the livelihood of the village people as well as their standard of living in Kalahandi district.
“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,” the PM said.
The highly qualified couple established Manikastu Agro and started working with the farmers. They have also opened an interesting Manikastu Goat Bank in their locality. They are promoting goat rearing at the community level. There are about dozens of goats at their Goat Farm, Modi said.
The Prime Minister further explained that 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 nine to 10 kids in two years, out of which six kids are kept by the bank, and the rest are given to the same family which rears goats. Not only that, necessary services are also provided for the care of goats, Modi pointed out.
He lauded the couple as 1000 farmers from 50 villages are associated with them. The village people are moving towards self-reliance in the field of animal husbandry, Modi pointed out.
