KARACHI, Sept 22: Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Friday said that the provincial government would set up 27 modern cattle colonies in the province, which would provide thousands of new job opportunities, besides greatly boosting rural economy.

Addressing a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House to review the matters regarding dairy sector, he said that Rs395 million would be spent on this ambitious project for which Rs30 million would be released this year.

He said that these modern cattle colonies with the latest facilities would be set up in each district of the province and they would bring a ‘white revolution’ under the guidance of President Musharraf. He said that each cattle colony would be set up over 200-acre area, with 75 sheds, each having capacity for 50 buffaloes. Overall each cattle colony would have capacity for 3,750 cattle heads.

Dr Arbab said that in the first phase cattle colonies would be set up at Mithi, Nau Kot, Khairpur, Chondko and Kaloi, while later they would also be set up at Thatta, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Naushehro Feroze, Larkana, Mehrabpur, Kandiaro, Matiari, Dhoro Naro, Tando Allahyar, Shahdadkot, Tando Mohammad Khan, Ghotki and Badin.

He said that these cattle colonies would have all modern facilities, including sheds, venture health outlets, electricity, drainage, milk plants, residential units, market, water supply, feed mills and cold storage. He said that each colony would have capacity of 50,000 litres of milk and provide jobs to 500 people.

He said that cattle colony land would be leased to those persons having at least three-year experience in dairy field. They would have to start cattle farming within one month and complete their cattle pens within six months. The leased plots would be only used for dairy purpose. He said that the State Bank of Pakistan would provide interest-free loans for these persons. He said that only a person domiciled in a concerned district could set up cattle pen in the cattle colony of that district.

Dr Arbab further said that slaughtering of animals would not be permitted in the cattle colonies. He said that the provincial government, district governments, growers, NGOs, and producer groups would be stakeholders in these cattle colonies.

He said that besides these cattle colonies a pilot dairy village and export zone would be set up over 800 acres of land at Ghaghar Railway-crossing near Karachi with the cooperation of private sector. This diary village would provide jobs to 300 people and have capacity of 200,000 litres of milk. This dairy village would cater milk and meat needs of Karachi, while diary products and meat from it could also be exported.—PPI