Shyam Bahadur Shrestha, a youth entrepreneur of Khaliban, Rampur municipality, owns a dozen mother pigs.

Shrestha, who started pig rearing by taking a subsidised loan from Rampur Municipality Youth Self Employment Programme, is satisfied with the benefits. He took a loan of Rs1.3 million for two years to rear pigs.

He is earning around Rs1.5 million annually from pig farming. A piglet sells for Rs6,000. A mother pig gives birth to 12 to 18 piglets—three times a year.

“There was a problem selling piglets for a few years after Covid-19. Many people quit pig rearing,” said Shrestha. “But now, the demand for pigs has revived in the market.”

Shrestha has earned money for children's school fees and daily house expenses and bought land in Rampur for Rs4 million.

Shrestha quickly paid back the loan as the piglets sold on time. If the municipality provides more loans in the coming days, Shrestha said, he plans to expand the shed and manage it well.

Before this, Shrestha was engaged in poultry farming.

However, since poultry did not bring the expected benefits, he only kept a few chickens. However, observing the recent market situation, he plans to increase the number of chickens.

The Shrestha couple is engaged in pig rearing, and both husband and wife are busy with it.

Deepa Sigdel, a youth entrepreneur from Mathiladanda, Rampur municipality, owns a poultry farm. She took out Rs3 million in loan for the project.

She has expanded the number of chickens from 2,000 to 4,500.

Deepa’s husband, Hari Acharya, who returned after working in Dubai for six years, is also engaged in the business.

“I look after the market,” said Acharya. “My wife looks after the chickens.”

Deepa plans to do the business for a long time to come.

Acharya said they first observed the market. “There was a rising demand for eggs. We then planned to rear the layers of chicken,” the couple said.

The Acharya couple did not have much to invest.

Acharya, who was in a furniture business before poultry, heard about subsidised loans and was eager to start the business.

The Acharya couple’s poultry farm is spread on around four ropanies of land.

“We don’t have to pay the interest on a loan while doing business. This is a huge relief for startups like us,” said Acharya.

“The programme introduced by the municipality has encouraged people like us who do not have money to invest.”

The Acharya couple has made Rampur self-reliant in eggs. The poultry farm produces more than 3,000 eggs daily, with an annual transaction of Rs9 million.

However, the price rise in feed worries Deepa and Hari.

Buying feed, which has increased to Rs73 per kg from 32 per kg, has created a problem. The couple has to arrange 300 kgs of feed daily for the chicken.

In addition to the Shrestha and Acharya couples, Krishna Kumar Aryal of Pyakluk in Rampur municipality has 17 milking cows and 30 buffalos. Arya, who took a Rs1 million loan with subsidised interest and generated profits, is planning to take an additional Rs3 million loan.

“I participated in a two-year loan scheme. I doubled the number of buffaloes to 24 from 12,” said Aryal.

The subsidised loan programme has become effective, with youths attracted to it.

The Lumbini provincial government provides subsidies for milk to farmers rearing buffaloes.

“Subsidies in milk are provided by the rural municipality, municipality and provincial government,” said Aryal. However, according to the work procedure, one cannot take service from two governments in the same business.

Youths of Rampur municipality benefiting from subsidised business loans said that the programme has helped in the business, especially to those planning to go abroad for jobs.

The interest subsidy programme has provided relief for entrepreneurs planning to start small businesses.

Under the Youth Self-Employment Work Procedure 2018, the municipality pays interest once every three months. This has lessened the interest load, and youths returning to the country have found self-employment, too.

Narayan Prasad Gaire, chief of the agriculture division of Rampur municipality, said the programme is being operated according to the work procedure.

The municipality provides loan subsidies for youth entrepreneurs in vegetable, fruit, poultry, goat, cow, buffalo, pig, mushroom and bee-keeping businesses. UP to 95 youths have received subsidised loans so far. These youth have accessed loans of Rs80 million under the programme from different banks and financial institutions.

The youths benefitting from the loan scheme can get loans in the range of Rs200,000 to Rs3 million, said Bal Kumari Thapa, deputy mayor of Rampur municipality.

The subsidised loan programme is being continued as it has benefited many, said Raman Bahadur Thapa, mayor of the Rampur municipality.

According to the work procedure, if agricultural production is increased, the agriculture division will work to sell and distribute products in the local markets and also explore new markets.