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4 min read

From Loss to Livelihood: Bimla’s Goat Enterprise

Chhirpani Village, Kharsia Block, Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh
Livestock-based Livelihoods
Bimla Rathia with her goat herd in Chhirpani village.

Bimla Rathia, 59, had tried goat rearing before — and given it up after disease wiped out her herd. With training and steady support, she built it back into her family’s most reliable income source.

Before the programme, Bimla’s household earned only about ₹40,000 a year, mainly from agriculture and wage labour, with almost no savings. Of their 3 acres of land, just 1.5 acres were cultivable. The family had raised goats before, but heavy mortality from disease and a lack of vaccination knowledge forced them to stop.

Under the High Impact Mega Watershed Project 2.0, Bimla received technical training on scientific goat rearing — shed management, vaccination, deworming, and animal care. She self-financed an initial stock of six desi goats (₹36,000) plus ₹6,000 on vaccination and medicines, and built an elevated machan shed from local materials. She was connected to the Animal Husbandry Department for regular veterinary support, with continuous mentoring from Lok Shakti Samiti over the following 36 months.

Elevated machan goat shed
The elevated machan goat shed, built with locally sourced materials.

Goat mortality dropped from 30–40% to about 10% with better management and regular vaccination. Bimla has sold 25 goats to date — 14 in February 2025 for ₹99,225 and 11 in December 2025 for ₹77,220 — earning a total of ₹1,76,445 and a net profit of ₹1,38,000. She has saved ₹70,000, and the income helped fund her son’s wedding and everyday healthcare costs.

Outcomes at a glance
Net profit
₹1,38,000 from goat rearing
Goats sold
25 to date (14 + 11 in two rounds)
Mortality
down from 30–40% to ~10%
Savings
₹70,000 in her bank account
Community reach
inspired 18 other families
“Today I can confidently manage the enterprise and contribute to important family decisions.”
– Bimla Rathia

Encouraged by her results, Bimla plans to sell another 14–15 goats in 2026, and the family hopes to build a better home under PMAY with their savings.

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