New Delhi, August 21: As redressal measures envisioned by the Government to save the poultry industry from Bird flu outbreak, the Government had taken up payment of compensation, package for poultry industry after the 2006 outbreaks and control and containment programmes, reports Manipur Information Centre from New Delhi today.

In a written reply to a question asked by Kishanbhai V Patel and Sugrib Singh in the Lok Sabha on Monday, union Minister of State for Agriculture Taslimuddin stated that more than Rs.94 lakh was paid as compensation for culled poultry during the recent bird flu outbreak in Manipur.

The Government of India shared the cost of compensation for culled birds and destruction of food and feed materials.

In the 2006 outbreaks, the States of Maharastra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh indicated an expenditure of Rs.785.12 lakh on compensation for poultry and feed of which 50 per cent was State share.

With regard to control and containment, it was initiated in Manipur immediately so that country could claim free of avian influenza at the earliest.

In his reply, the Minister also expressed that the Government had constituted an Expert Committee involving the State Governments, technical experts and representatives of the poultry industry to examine the strategy to be adopted by the industry and trade in the event of a single stray incidence of avian influenza in the country.

The Committee was set up on the request of All India Poultry Breeders Association for a joint meeting of different stakeholders to evolve such a strategy.