Cattle, sheep rearing key sectors of state’s economy: Minister
Jammu: Minister of State for Forest, Animal, Sheep Husbandry, Fisheries and Cooperative, Mir Zahoor Ahmad today chaired a meeting to review the progress achieved under various Animal Husbandry schemes in Jammu division.
It was informed that Jammu division has a per capita availability of 430 ml milk which is above the national average of 337 ml per person per day.
Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the Department, the Minister exhorted upon the officers to maintain the momentum in milk production and provide veterinary services in remote and inaccessible areas. He also instructed them to work with missionary zeal to achieve self-sufficiency in table eggs and poultry meat for which the State has to depend upon imports.
It was given out in the meeting that 15.24 lakh animals were treated, 11615 Backyard Poultry Units established, 1085 Awareness Camps &Kissan conferences organized across the division this year. It was further informed that 14.46 quintals of poultry meat was sold in Jammu Division ending October, 2017. It was also given out in the meeting that 2.62 Lakh eggs were produced at Government Farms, 5.85 lakh were produced at Private Farms, while department also produced 1.35 Lakh Day old Chicks. It was also informed that 17.11 Lakh cases of cattle and 86.93 Lakh poultry were treated till ending October.
About the veterinary services, it was informed that the department runs 117 Veterinary Centres across the division. The Minister asked the concerned to refer both Gazetted and Non Gazetted vacant posts to the recruitment agencies to fill the gap. He also asked them to conduct Departmental Promotion Committee meetings.
Detailed discussions were also held on fund allocation for Poultry Villages under Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the Minister assured the Department that the matter would be taken up with the respective authorities.
Director Animal Husbandry Jammu and other Senior Officers of the Department were present in the meeting.
Earlier, the Minister visited Central Cattle Breeding, Research Farm & Poultry Farm Balicharana and took stock of functioning of these units. He also inspected Training Centre there.
KV Correspondent
