Animal Husbandry Minister Kusum Mahdele has urged the Central Government to sanction minimum 4 more veterinary colleges in Madhya Pradesh. She said that in view of crores of animals, need is being felt to open 4 more veterinary colleges along with existing ones at Mhow, Jabalpur and Rewa.
Mahdele was addressing a workshop ‘Strengthening of livelihood through Ruminating Small Animals’ at Academy of Administration here on Monday. Union Joint Director Animal Husbandry Sanjay Bhusreddy, Joint Commissioner (Poultry) P Blawar and Team leader of South Asia Pro-Poor livestock Policy Programme Varsha Mehta were also present on the occasion.
Mahdele said the Central Government should make available more funds to Madhya Pradesh to adopt methods to increase income of poor livestock keepers in the State. She called for united efforts to improve economic lot of rural livestock keepers. Along with promoting and attaching priority to livestock keeping, scientific and modern methods should also be adopted.
She said that the more animal keepers get benefit of veterinary science the more their income will increase. Priority should be given to small districts if more veterinary colleges are opened in future.
Mahdele asked voluntary organisations working in the field of animal husbandry to work for public interest instead of self-interest. The Minister said that naming of birds not identified so far should be done after registration. Efforts should be made to reach Kadaknath specie of Jhabua to other areas. She said that research should be done on hair, milk and meat of sheep so that sheep keepers can get proper benefit. She said that in view of separate anatomy of animals, arrangements should be made for research and treatment for them. There should be separate faculty for this in veterinary colleges.
Sanjay Bhusreddy said that better arrangements of fodder, food grains, veterinary treatment and vaccination should be made to improve economic condition of animal keepers. Housing arrangements should also be made for animals and schemes like ‘Pashu-Sakhi’ should be introduced.
Director Animal Husbandry R Rokade informed that number of goats is 8 millions in Madhya Pradesh, which is 5.93 per cent of the country. Number of sheep in Madhya Pradesh is 0.31 millions against 65 millions in the country.