The State Government has been urged by the President of Veterinary Council of India (VCI) to set up a separate University for Fisheries and Veterinary Science as 12 other States have already opened such universities and another four are setting up similar ones during this year.
VCI President lt General Dr Narayan Mohanty while meeting the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Wednesday proposed such a university which would go a long way in helping the State improve the fisheries and animal resources sector in a big way. Patnaik was favourable to the idea, saying his Government would follow up such an initiative.
Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Aditya Prasad Padhi, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Satyabrat Sahu and PS to CM, V Karthikeyan Pandian, were present.
Dr Mohanty, who hails from Koraput, said that by end of 2013, at least 16 States, including all the neighbouring ones of Odisha, would be having separate university for fisheries and veterinary science whereas Odisha is yet to prepare a plan in this regard.
While opening such a university, it would not cost anything in its first year, but later the requirement of funds for a full-fledged one would be around Rs 40 crore. And funds are plenty as the other State Governments are tapping such funds available for the purpose.
The VCI is the national body regulating veterinary practice and issuing guidelines for the State Veterinary Councils and maintaining registers of veterinary practitioners and for matters connected therewith all over the country.
later talking to media, Dr Mohanty said, “We discussed about various developmental programmes on the allied agricultural sector in the State.” He suggested that Backyard Dairy in KBK would go a long way in controlling the Maoist menace as women can be engaged in this type of economic activities and with the support of the Department of Fisheries and ARD, special programmes could be undertaken in the tribal zones.
Dr Mohanty said there are 30 Krishi Vikash Kendras (KVKs) in the State whereas only at Phulbani a livestock expert is placed in charge of the KVK. There should be more numbers of veterinary experts to handle KVK affairs so that these facilities for extending knowledge of laboratory to the field would help farmers engaged in the animal resources development sector.