Kailali. An incentive programme is to be implemented for farmers rearing oxen in the far-western state. The programme will be implemented in all nine districts of the province in the current fiscal year.

Information Officer at the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Raj Kumar Jha, said that the province government has allocated Rs 9.75 million for the programme in the current fiscal year.

He said that 1,950 farmers rearing oxen across the state would be provided with incentives of Rs 5,000 each. The programme will be operated through the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Expert Centre in all nine districts and the budget has already been allocated to all the expert centres, he said.

According to him, Rs 1.5 million each has been allocated for the programme in Kailali, Rs 1.25 million in Kanchanpur and Rs 1 million each in Bajura, Doti, Achham, Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura and Bajhang.

Information Officer Jha said that the farmers should be rearing oxen÷buffalo, they should be engaged in farming and farming, in the Terai districts, they should have bullock carts and the farmers should have ploughs.

He said that the programme would be implemented keeping the same local level in the case of the districts having organic agriculture promotion program and the remote local levels in the case of other districts. Information Officer Jha said that arrangements have been made to pay the incentive amount through the bank account of the farmers.