Dehradun: Soon, meat-lovers sitting in any part of the country can relish the tender flesh of the sheep and goats found in the hills. The credit for easy-availability of 'Himalayan meat' goes to the Uttarkhand government, which recently cleared funds of Rs 3,300 crore for the initiated.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said the move would be a "game changer" for the hill districts that has witnesses large-scale migration of locals due to limited source of income. 'Himalayan Meat, the name coined for branding, would help government boost state's agricultural and animal husbandry sector, an official said.

The National Cooperative Development Corporation recently released the funds for the project, while a three-tier cooperative structure has been developed for the purpose, the official added.

According to the plan, nearly 10,000 sheep and goat owners from the hill districts will help in acquiring high quality meat by grazing their cattle in the high altitude meadows. Initially, the meat will be introduced in local markets and later, it will be provided in markets out of the state as per its demand.

"We are hopeful the agriculture and animal husbandry will witness surge in the next five years," said Rawat, adding that the focus will also be on promoting dairy, fisheries and meat industry.

According to 2012 livestock census of Uttarakhand, there were 3.68 lakh sheep and 13.6 lakh goats in the state. In 2014-15, farmers earned around Rs 38 lakh by selling 108 lakh kilograms of sheep and goat meat.