In order to brace the rural base of the State’s animal husbandry sector, Punjab Government is coming up with a district-level mobile van service in 20 districts.
The move is expected to cater to the needs of livestock farmers in remote rural areas of the State, said Punjab Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike in a seminar organized by Punjab State Veterinary Council in collaboration with Punjab State Veterinary Officers’ Association to mark World Veterinary Day on Monday.
Ranike said that the Punjab Government has taken adequate measures to provide quality animal health services and strengthening of disease diagnostic facilities across the State.
With a view to strengthening the veterinary services in Punjab, the Minister said that an amount of Rs20 crore would be spent to upgrade 209 veterinary hospitals and 372 dispensaries during the current financial year.
He also said that an amount of Rs24. 73 crore would be spent on 48 tehsil and block level hospitals — setting up of the Regional Training Centre at Jalandhar and upgradation of 800 veterinary dispensaries in the State.
Ranike also said that for strengthening of Semen Bank at Nabha, and for progeny testing of Murrah buffalo bull, a grant of Rs32.88 crore had been approved. “Out of this, the first installment of Rs6.73 crore has been released which would give standard lift to the cow and buffalo breed improvement programme thereby increased production of milk,” he added.
Ranike also directed the veterinary doctors to visit the rural areas at least three days a month identify the educated unemployed youth, and motivate them to adopt the highly lucrative ventures of animal husbandry sector which would be instrumental in improving the livelihood of the poor people in the villages.