Jammu, Dec 26:
Principal Secretary Animal Sheep and Fisheries Department Dr Asghar Hassan Samoon today stressed on the need a for adequate funding for the livestock sector adding that this will help the sector to turn into the engine of state economy. He was speaking at a high-level meeting regarding the status of NABARD funded projects in the animal, sheep and fisheries departments. The meeting was attended by Secretary Cooperatives Secretary Cooperatives, Abdul Majeed Bhat, Director Animal Husbandry Department Kashmir M Y Chaproo, Director Animal Husbandry Jammu Dr Victor Kaul, and Director Sheep Husbandry department Jammu Sanjeev Kumar and other officials. The meeting was also attended by Chief General Manager NABARD P Balachandran, General Manager NABARD, Suresh Chand and other officials. The meeting had a threadbare discussion on the funding pattern on the proposed projects and their importance in augmentation of infrastructure of these departments. “Majority of people in the state are engaged with the livestock rearing. Investment in livestock sector will directly empower the people at grass root level. If we want to see real progress in socio-economic profile of people, it is important to invest in the livestock sector,” Samoon told meeting. Pitching for adequate funding by NABARD to complete languishing projects and launching new required infrastructure projects in livestock sector, Dr Samoon said this will help economic empowerment of majority of the people. He also discussed forming of village cooperative societies for selling farmers’ produce to get better dividends. Dr Samoon also highlighted the need for setting up new and up-grading existing laboratories, investment in fodder farms, veterinary hospitals, breeding farms, training institutes and strengthening other initiatives in livestock sector. The major projects which were projected for funding in the meeting include construction of cattle breeding and research farm at Chatha Jammu, veterinary hospitals at Athwajan Srinagar, Khaltsi leh, Shargol Kargil, Qaimoh and Bijbhehra, relocation of sheep breeding farm from Dachigam to Khimber, Multipurpose sheep facilitating centre and boundary wall at Dusoo Pampore, construction / upgradation of disease investigation laboratory Nowshera Srinagar and other projects. Dr Samoon also directed the officials for timely submission of utilization certificates (UC’s) and maintain close synergy with planning and finance department for smooth flow of funds.
