Bihar shelves rat farming plan http://www.igovernment.in/site/Bihar-shelves-rat-farming-plan/ Widespread criticism of the plan, which is aimed at improving economic status of Mushahars, has compelled the Bihar government to drop the initiative
Published on 12/8/2008 3:00:54 PM *Patna:* The Government of Bihar has shelved its controversial plan to encourage deprived sections of society take up rat farming to improve their economic status after widespread criticism of the move. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that there was no plan or project to encourage the socially and economically backward Dalit community to take up rat farming, reports IANS. Addressing a gathering of Dalits here on Saturday evening, he clarified such a proposal was put before him by the department concerned but he had asked the state's Chief Secretary to abandon it. The proposal had sparked off criticism and protest from opposition parties and some NGOs in the state while the Musahar community, which derives its name from a traditional practice of eating rats hunted from paddy fields, said the measure would keep them at the same lowly status they always had. The Rashtriya Musahar-Bhuyian Vikas Parishad, an organisation working for the development of the community, had urged the state government no to go ahead with the project. "We want to use the computer mouse rather than adopt rat farming. Times have changed, we are eager to change our lives," Umesh Manjhi, the convenor of the organisation, said. "At a time when people are talking about India's moon mission Chandrayaan-1, it is unfortunate that the Bihar government is planning to start rat farming for Dalits. We will oppose it," he said. An estimated 2.3 million Musahars live across Bihar in conditions of abject poverty. Less than five per cent of them are literate and most of them make a living as labourers. They are still considered social untouchables despite a law against it. The state government had earlier announced a pilot project to popularise rat meat, as part of its efforts to uplift Dalit communities that constitute nearly 15 per cent of Bihar's 83 million people. Officials of social welfare department claimed that rat meat was available in the Mokameh Ghat area as well as roadside hotels in Danapur in Patna district, where it is called 'patal-bageri' and is in good demand. Eat rats for snacks, says Indian official http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2553352/Eat-rats-for-snacks-says-Indian-official.html Vijay Prakash, the welfare minister in Bihar state in eastern India, said he wanted to set up rat farms and sell the meat to upmarket hotels, street stalls and restaurants. The project will start with stalls in rural fairs followed by "rat meat centres" in urban areas. The 2.3 million members of the Musahar caste, one of the poorest in India, have traditionally eaten rats that they hunted in paddy fields. Now Mr Prakash says rich people should also sample the meat, which he said was full of protein and tasted better than chicken. "Some socially deprived people in Bihar have always consumed rat meat," he said. "If they can eat rats, why can't the rest of the people?" He said the plan would tackle food prices on two fronts: by reducing the amount of grain consumed by rodents and producing a cheap form of meat. But he also said developing rat farms would help the social development of Musahars. "The government has decided to engage the Musahars in commercialisation of rat meat for their overall development," he said. "It will help empower them and change their poor living conditions if the venture is properly designed and clicks." He said the poor image of rats could change. "I discovered during a fact-finding mission about rat meat that it is a popular food item," he told *The Times of India*. "It is called 'patal-bageri' and its demand is high," -- "The beginning is always today." - Mary Wollstonecraft --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
