Functioning well with central funding: Vety Director
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 20 2021: Despite getting a small budgetary share of around Rs 7 crore from the state government, the department of veterinary and animal husbandry is functioning well with central funding of around Rs 200 crore, said director Dr Ch Nandakishore.

He was attending as chief guest of a one-day seminar on Foot and mouth disease and its control programme towards eradication' organised by Imphal Collaborating Centre of All India Coordinated Research Project on Foot and Mouth Disease in association with ICAR on FMD Nainital at the farmers' training centre of the department's office complex near Sanjenthong.

Joint director administration Dr Ng Ibotombi, who is also the principal investigator of AICRP on FMD-CU, presided over the function while joint director (Thoubal) Dr RK Khogendrajit attended as guest of honour.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nandakishore called upon the department employees to be sincere in their duties and bring forth the department despite its small budgetary share.

So far, the department has developed several infrastructures and provided assistance to the farmers with central funding.

Livestock farmers in different states including Gujarat are producing milk and milk products significantly.

Likewise, farmers of the state can take up similar ventures and make their presence felt in dairy sector.

The department has got sanctions for 400 units of skill development and through these, trainings will be organised for livestock farmers through ICAR, KVK and CAU.

Regarding manpower shortage, he said that the department is in the process of recruiting 189 veterinary attendants, 60 held assistants, 35 LDCs and nine drivers before the assembly election.

There is also approval for filling up two out of six vacant posts in Central Dairy Farm and MPSC is in the process of conducting the recruitment examination.

So far, the department has constructed 31 veterinary hospitals through central funding but there are still shortage of infrastructure and equipment in these hospitals.

The government was apprised about this during the budget review meeting chaired by the chief secretary, he said and expressed confidence the state government will sanction the required fund.

He further said that the department will soon procure 33 vehicles for utilising as mobile veterinary units and each district will have at least two such units.

Moreover, process is on to bring various schemes under RKW, Rashtri-ya Gokul Mission and National Livestock Health and Disease Control, he added.

Dr Ng Ibotombi said that the National Animal Disease Programme launched by PM Modi on September 19, 2019 is setting a target of controlling Foot and Mouth Disease by 2025 and eradicating the same by 2030 .

He then appealed to livestock farmers for timely vaccination against FMD and Brucellosis diseases and to register their livestock under Animal Population Register through ear tagging.

In the technical session, bacteriologist specialist Dr Sabitri Maibam spoke on FMD, symptoms, diagnosis and confirmation'; specialist (para) Dr Ch Nishita on 'Preservation and dispatch of FMD clinical samples'; joint director Dr S Binodkumari on Surveillance and sero-monitoring for effective control of FMD'; and joint director Dr RK Khogendrajit on FMD vaccination and cold maintenance of FMD vaccine' as resource persons.

A group discussion was also held after the technical session and a recommendation was adopted to make FMD control programme in the state successful.

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