By Jeff Harding
NEW DEHLI TIMES
05/10/2006
New Delhi:: Aiming to provide poultry feed to farmers at a reasonable price, the Government today approved release of 50,000 tonnes of maize at a price of Rs 450 a quintal.
This would be provided out of the 5,00,000 mt of maize already approved for release from the surplus stock for poultry farmers in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
He said it will enable poultry farmers of these states to access poultry feed at a reasonable price and help them reduce their losses due to market recession resulting from bird flu in certain parts of the country.
Later at a Cabinet meeting, the government approved creation of the post of Chief Executive in the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), which was set up to bring major activities in fisheries and aquaculture under professional management.
The creation of the board is aimed at generating direct employment to 3.5 million people and and an income of Rs 95 crore per annum, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi said after the meeting.
The Chief Executive of the board will be of the rank of Additional Secretary in the Government, he said.
