With the Centre all set to unveil the National Livestock Mission (NLM), the Ministry of Agriculture has asked the State Government to prepare an action plan on poultry sector, reports New Indian Express.

In a letter to Chief Secretary J.K. Mohapatra, Joint Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture, Sanjay Bhoosreddy, has requested to submit the State action plan for necessary financial support.

The Chief Secretary has asked the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department to prepare the action plan on poultry sector, taking into consideration the poultry development plan under the State Livestock Policy.

The poultry development plan of the State focuses on Desi fowls in the backyard units, which account for over 80 per cent of all poultry. The organised poultry industry in the State is capable of meeting all their development needs, official sources said.

The objective of the breeding policy for backyard poultry through selective breeding in organised farms is to improve the growth rate and bodyweight without compromising the current level of egg production.

Districts chosen for focused action for backyard poultry development programmes are Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Balasore.

Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, announced in his Budget speech that NLM with a financial support of ' 307 crore will be launched in 2013-14 to support poultry, dairy farming and fisheries, which are critical for small farmers to keep earning in case of crop failure.

States like Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have gone ahead with a policy for poultry development and offered incentives for the establishment of layer and broiler parent breeder farms.

The best practices of these States can be replicated in Odisha, which will enable the poultry sector to keep pace with proposed growth rate of five to six per cent, sources told New Indian Express.

The Centre feels that poultry sector is at a disadvantage due to the fact that processed and packed poultry meat attracts higher value added tax (VAT).

The Ministry has requested the State Government to re-look into the VAT system and has advised to either waive or reduce VAT on hygienically dressed and packed poultry products.