To produce protein, the government has undertaken a Tk 2.2 billion project under which food security will be raised plus infrastructure for producing protein will be developed.
The project also includes expanding veterinary facility and developing staff skills and competence.
The strengthening of the livestock department will be implemented by the livestock department under the ministry of fisheries and livestock. The project has been approved at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
Every day, a person should take 0.83 grammes of protein. As per survey, more than 66 percent people in the country takes 50 grammes of protein.
However, around 10 percent people get less than 40 grammes of protein. Pregnant and lactating mothers need extra protein and the sources are lentils, fish, eggs and milk.
Planning ministry sources say that the project will be implemented in 495 upazilas of 54 districts. It began in October 2019 and will end by Mar 31, 2023.
The total cost of the project is Tk 2.21 billion with the whole amount coming from the government.
Under the project, buildings will be constructed in 64 districts of the country, cold rooms established and the offices digitalised.
In addition, 63 new vehicles will be purchased, foreign training provided and necessary equipment supplied.
Planning Minister MA Mannan said: “The ECNEC approved this since the plan is congruous with sustainable development programme.”
Meanwhile, the state minister for fisheries and livestock, Ashraf Ali Khan, observed: “Once the project is implemented, the institutional capacity of the livestock department will increase, employment created for the young with guaranteed socio economic development.”