In view of the meat sellers’ strike in Uttar Pradesh in protest against the crackdown on abattoirs, the West Bengal government has taken up an initiative to serve non-vegetarian delicacies to the residents of the city.

Titled ‘Meat on Wheelz,’ the scheme launched on Monday by the West Bengal Livestock Development Corporation under the brand name Haringhata Meat, is aimed at encouraging farmers’ entry into poultry and animal husbandry, Animal Resources Development Department Minister Swapan Debnath said.

“This is an idea of the Chief Minister. It has been launched to encourage poultry and animal husbandry and create more employment opportunities in the State,” Debnath said.

Under the scheme, selling of meat of quail, duck, turkey and emu besides cooked non-veg items as well as frozen packaged items of Haringhata began in the city on Monday.

The department will use four vans for ‘Meat on Wheelz’ to serve meat to Kolkatans, the minister said.

“Currently, one vehicle is operating from Dhakuria to Garia in south Kolkata and other three vans will be launched soon,” the minister said.

Talking about the sale in the last couple of days, Debnath said that the response was good and that would help the department to spread to the districts.

“This one is a pilot project. And in the last two days we have found that the response has been quite good. We are confident of its success and going by that we will spread out to the districts headquarters of the state,” he said.

It was also learnt that Haringhata also got into a tie-up with food courts in the city and food courts in Siliguri as also with different five star hotels and retail chains.

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