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The government on Wednesday launched the disbursement of cash incentives to the fisheries and livestock sector farmers who had incurred financial losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 0.48 million farmers will get the money totalling Tk 5.6 billion as incentives (stimulus) to rebuild their farms hit hard by the pandemic.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared that over Tk 5.6 billion would be provided as cash incentives to facilitate over 0.48 million farmers of the fisheries, poultry and livestock sector, to help them restart their businesses and offset financial losses they had incurred due to the Covid-19.
The financially affected farmers are also to be provided with different inputs such as fish feeds, medicines, fertiliser, and buildings for sheds for grooming cows and poultry.
Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque inaugurated the disbursement programme at the city's Osmani Memorial Hall.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim chaired the event which was also attended by Planning Minister M A Mannan.
According to the sources in the fisheries and livestock ministry, the incentives are being provided from the emergency funds of 'Dairy and Livestock' and 'Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries' under the ministry.
Over 0.47 million livestock and poultry farmers from 466 upazilas are to be given over Tk 4.68 billion under 15 categories for nurturing dairy and poultry chickens (both local and broiler chicken and ducks).
On the other hand, 78,074 fisheries farmers are to be provided incentives worth over Tk 1.0 billion for farming lobsters, and other types of fishes.
Some 3,01,353 dairy farmers, 97,823 poultry bird farmers, and 8,226 involved with duck farming, will get the incentives.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, 30 percent farmers of dairy sector and 80 percent farmers of poultry sector have been brought under such government incentive package.
Each farmer depending on their capacity of business in the livestock sector will receive maximum Tk 22,500 and minimum Tk 3,375.
On the other hand, each of the farmer in fisheries sector will get maximum Tk18,000 and minimum Tk 10,000 as incentives.
The cash incentives will be sent to the farmers of poultry, livestock and fisheries sector through bKash, Nagad and bank accounts.
A high official of the fisheries and livestock ministry told the FE that the rest of 0.2 million farmers would get their cash incentives in the next phase.
He said that the process was underway to disburse the funds to them.