Ever wondered why veterinarians are few and far between making it a cumbersome task to locate one at times of need. It is because India has just half the number of veterinarians against the required strength even as the new churn-outs, annually 2,100, are too less to bridge the gap in future too.
While catering to the bovine population alone will require 60,000 veterinarians, their total numbers stand at 63,000 (registered ones) in the country. This is when the requirement is between 1.10 and 1.20 lakh.
According to a report tabled in Parliament, there is an acute shortage of veterinary doctors and medicines which is badly affecting the livestock in the country.
The total livestock population consisting of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig, horses and ponies, mules, donkeys, camels, mithun and yak in the country is 512.05 million as per the 2012 livestock Census, translating into a requirement of 60,000 vets to cater to bovines alone. These would further go up if poultry, sheep, goats, pigs and other animals are added.
“The present animal healthcare infrastructure is grossly inadequate to take care of the vast population of the livestock/poultry in the country. Veterinary doctors or medicines are not available in the nearby animal healthcare centres to treat the sick animals and therefore, farmers are compelled to travel long distances for treatment of their animals,” it said.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, headed by MP Hukm Dev Narayan Yadav, expressed concern over the shortage of veterinary doctors and medicines for treatment of sick livestock/poultry particularly in the rural areas of the country. The general norm is to have at least one veterinary doctor for every 5,000 animals.
“As a result, a large number of sick animals die without treatment or medicine and the farmers, particularly poor small and marginal farmers have to suffer huge loss in terms of their livelihood,” the report said.
India currently has 55 veterinary colleges, with an average intake capacity of 60 students each, working out to a total of 3,300 a year. But the passout numbers stand at 2,100.
The data of Ministry of Agriculture reveals that as against Budget Estimate of Rs 250 crore and revised estimate of Rs 245.45 crore for the year 2016-17, a sum of a meager Rs 2.4 crore has only been released to states/Union Territories for the construction of 13 veterinary dispensaries and renovation of 121 others till December 31, 2016.
The Secretary of the Animal and Husbandry Department had told the Committee that there is shortage of veterinary doctors and medicines and this is particularly due to shortage of funds for the purpose.
The Parliamentary Committee has expressed annoyance as this issue has also been raised by the Committee in the past but no corrective efforts have been made by the department to address the issue. The Committee has recommended that immediate action plan may be formulated to address the shortage of veterinary doctors and medicines for treatment of sick animals. Ministry of Finance may also be urged to provide adequate funds for the purpose.