Grazing Policy, Blue Revolution, New Fisheries Act and Poultry Policy introduced to revamp these key sectors
JAMMU, :Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries, Abdul Ghani Kohli today said the department is in the process of developing necessary framework for the growth of these key sectors to uplift the rural economy in the State.
Winding up the discussion on demand of grants for Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries departments, the Minister said in order to give boost to the activities of these sectors, the department is in the process of introducing various new initiatives which are aimed at making these sectors viable and profitable.
Special incentive based schemes are also being framed and introduced for unemployed youth as well as people already employed in these sectors and measures to invite fresh investment are also being undertaken, the Minister said. He added that focused attention is being given to increase internal production of milk, poultry, mutton and fish in the state to meet the local demand thereby reducing the imports.
The Minister said for development and growth of Animal Husbandry sectors, the department has undertaken many initiatives including formulating a people-friendly grazing policy in consultation with Forest Department so that the breeders can have access to the pastures without hassles. He said the other initiatives include establishing vast network of veterinary centers, modernized labs at Jammu and Srinagar besides providing medicines on subsidized rates.
Kohli said the Government has also taken initiatives to provide relief to the cattle owners by Insuring Animals and has been projected under National Livestock Mission which is under consideration of Government of India.
“Presently Rs 11.42 is being spent by the Government per Animal/annum in the State for providing health care facilities and improvement of fodder for animals”, the Minister said.
The Minster said the department is also aiming to further enhance milk production in the State for which department is actively considering for opening of at least one dairy village in each constituency in the first instance to give boost to the milk production besides generating employment.
“To achieve the goal of increasing local indigenous cattle by genetic up-gradation, during 2015-16 around 8 lakh artificial inseminations were provided to the cows to further increase milk production in future”, the Minster said.
He added that as per 2012 census the livestock population has decreased in the State but with the concerted efforts of the department, milk production in the State has seen an upward trend.
The Minister said for Sheep husbandry development, the department is focusing on encouraging breeders to have such flock which will produce more wool, besides focused attention is also given to increase the mutton production locally so that the imports are reduced further. The department is actively pursuing for establishment of more Mini-Sheep Farms and revision in the cost with the Planning and Finance Department, he added.
He said the department has established number of farms where new breed goats are being reared and after the rearing of high breed goat same is being provided to the breeders for rearing and this process has helped to some extent in increasing the mutton production within the State.
He said proper facilities are provided to the breeders particularly during the period when they are in transit. Dispensaries are being temporarily established at high altitude crossing points, the Minister said.
In the Poultry sector, the department is envisaging some new methods and taking steps to declare the poultry farming activity an industry so that it gets the incentives, the Minister said.
“To give boost to the sector, the department has formulated a Poultry Policy that is being submitted to various other departments for their inputs which will encourage the young entrepreneurs to establish their units in layer farming hatcheries, feed mills which will make the State Self sufficient in Poultry meat and eggs,” the Minister informed the house adding that efforts are also being made to encourage the investors for setting up of hatcheries in the sector.
Enumerating on the measures undertaken to increase the production of poultry meat within the State, the Minister said that the department has established special infrastructure in various areas which has resulted in increased local production adding that more rearing space is being created with the NABARD assistance and under Back Yard Poultry Sector.
Besides, poultry villages are being established under back-yard Poultry in each constituency in the state with the help of local legislators, he informed.
The Minister said that to spruce up the fisheries sector, a New Fisheries Act replacing the Fisheries Act, 1903 has been finalized by the Department and shall be placed before the State Cabinet for approval.
Besides, Government of India has also sanctioned a scheme called Blue Revolution under which an amount of Rs 13 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre which will give further boost to the production of Fish in the State, the Minister added
Kohli said the department has established hatcheries and rearing units for trout adding that the biggest hatchery for trout has been established at Kokernag which has a capacity to produce 1.2 million eggs every year.
“There is further scope for the development of this sector particularly for the trout fish and in this regard the infrastructure is being created in every part of the State”, the Minister said.
Presently there are around 15000 fishermen who are able to produce 20000 metric tons of fish within the State of mostly carp and through various schemes, 952 carp units and 388 trout units have been established in private sector and the Department is providing necessary assistance for their development, he added.
The Minister also said that Rural Development department in convergence under MGNREGA is helping in constructing fish ponds for private beneficiaries and the fisheries department is providing technical support, fish seed and feed as permissible under different schemes.
Later, the House passed the grants of Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Departments, for the year 2017-18, which were moved by the Minister, amounting to Rs 53321.29 lakh and 8503.37 lakh respectively with voice vote.
Earlier, several legislators took part in the Discussions of Grants for the Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries departments. They included Choudhary Qamar Hussain, Aijaz Ahmad Khan, Kuldeep Raj, M. Y. Tarigami, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Shah Mohammad Tantray, Vikar Rasool Wani, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen Shah, Daleep Singh Parihar, Mubarak Gul, Abdul Rahim Rather, G M Saroori, Ravinder Raina, Devinder Singh Rana, Usman Abdul Majeed, Altaf Ahmad Wani and Aijaz Ahmad Mir.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
