GUWAHATI, Aug 16 - At a time when unemployment is becoming a serious issue amid the ongoing pandemic, a section of Assamese youths have found a new way of self-employment and entrepreneurship, thanks to the Assam Livestock and Poultry Corporation (ALPCo) Ltd.
When the meat shop owners downed their shutters with imposition of the lockdown, the demand for meat had increased considerably in the city. Taking advantage of the situation, ALPCo provided all kinds of support to these indigenous Assamese youths to import goat, duck and chicken from rural areas to the city.
Initially around 40 youths got engaged in this business as �live animal traders�. And now the number has been increasing with every passing day. They collect goat, duck and chicken from rural areas and then supply the livestock to the slaughterhouse run by ALPCo at Panjabari here.
Similarly, ALPCo has also engaged a number of youths in its doorstep delivery activity of meat products. Initially, around 85 youths were engaged in this activity and the number is increasing steadily. Moreover, ALPCo is helping the youths who come forward to open retail outlets to sell its products in getting trade licence and other relevant permission.
Talking about the initiative, ALPCo Administrative Officer Dr Purna Konwar said, �Our aim is to make available the locally produced animal husbandry products in our market through our new generation. It will also eradicate the middlemen system from the market. The youths, who are working with us as �live animal traders�, have achieved immense success in the business as we make on-the-spot payment after receiving the livestock at our slaughterhouse. All of them are now financially independent.�
Youths from Goalpara, Nalbari, Morigaon, Darrang, Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup districts are involved in the business.
A similar initiative has also been started at Jorhat simultaneously by ALPCo. This State government agency is also going to open its slaughterhouses in Golaghat, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Bongaigaon, Nalbari and Cachar districts soon. It has also set a target to open 100 outlets to sell its livestock products in Guwahati.
