Prayag Dutt Juyal, Vice- Chancellor of Nanaji Deshmukh Animal Husbandry University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, visited Uttarakhand. During his visit, he shared his view with the State animal husbandry officers and veterinary doctors. He suggested steps that would help the State surge ahead in terms of dairy and animal production.
Dr SS Bisht, director, animal husbandry, disclosed that Dr Juyal is originally from Pauri district. He has a distinguished career as he has achieved many milestones in the realm of animal husbandry science, he said.
He had done his graduation from Pantnagar Animal Husbandry College in 1977 and post-graduation in Veterinary Parasitology in 1979. He had done PhD from Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University in 1987. He has published more than 200 research papers and three books. Besides, he has received several awards in his career spanning over 35 years. Given his achievements, the MP government appointed him VC of Animal Husbandry University based in Jabalpur in February 2016.
While participating in the debate on huge possibility in animal husbandry and animal development, Dr Juyal said that there is need to start an animal husbandry university and dairy science and food technology institute so as to enable the State to produce skilled manpower to cope up with the upcoming demand of animal and dairy production. He also appealed that milk inspection work should be given to veterinary doctors alone.
Highlighting the importance of minimum support price (MSP) of animal products like milk, mutton and wool, Dr Juyal said this could go a long way in checking unemployment and migration as well. “With this, we can increase the cash flow in the rural areas of the State,” he said. He also stressed that there is immediate need to organise special training for veterinary doctors so that they can contribute to the society as per the demand of the State.
“State and Union Government-run institutions and departments like forest department, municipal corporation and health department (milk and meat inspection) should take service of the veterinary doctors. In Uttarakhand, there is a need to promote our local breed of cow, sheep and goat,” he said.
He also appealed to the doctors to give emphasis on these areas. Appreciating the State’s badri cow, which has been registered by National Bureau of Animal Genetics Resources (NABGR), Karnal, Haryana, Dr Juyal said that the State should also register other breeds available here.
Dr Ashutosh Joshi, in-charge of Uttarakhand Animal Welfare Board, briefed him about the ongoing state animal welfare projects. Chief executive officer of Uttarakhand Sheep and Wool Development Board, Dr Avinash Anand also briefed him about the possibility hidden in the State in sheep and goat development.