Major strides

Sheep breeding is becoming one of the economic planks in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir and different schemes started by the government have given a new dimension to it.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir has recently said that they are achieving major strides through ISDS. It is turning into a major boon for budding entrepreneurs.

The Integrated Sheep Development Scheme (ISDS) launched has achieved major strides in supplementing livestock production and building entrepreneurship in this sector across Jammu and Kashmir. The scheme aims to promote the establishment of sheep and goat units in the union territory. Sheep sector makes a valuable contribution to the economically weaker sections of the society by their multifaceted utility of producing wool, meat, skin, manure etc.

Realizing this importance of sheep, many development activities including schemes for intensive sheep development in the J&K have been initiated. Under this scheme, financial assistance from the banks has been made available along with other incentives and subsidies. ISDS is one of the schemes of the Sheep Husbandry Department aimed at not only achieving breakthrough in wool and mutton production but also addressing the problems of unemployment across Jammu and Kashmir. Under this scheme, for establishment of Sheep/Goat unit on participatory mode comprising of 25 ewes/does, Livestock is supplied free of cost. Retrieval of equivalent livestock from female progeny is carried out in phased manner from 3rd year. Any individual /group of individuals/self-help group/cooperative society/farmers producer organization is eligible to apply for the scheme.