Speaking during the Pongal Vizha celebration and Livestock and Fisheries Week 2013 here on Thursday, 17 January, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi said the government has started poultry clusters in areas in and around Sankarankoil and Villupuram to propagate broiler farming and layer units on the lines of Namakkal.

The New Indian Express reports that the Sankarankoil cluster will include Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar districts. Ariyalur, Cuddalore and Perambalur districts will come under the Villupuram cluster.

Observing that the budgetary support of animal husbandry sector has touched Rs 830 billion in 2012-13, Bedi said the government is focusing more on livestock so that farmers can rely on the animals if crops failed due to lack of rains.