Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 15: Emphasizing the need for effective implementation of Centrally sponsored schemes under Animal and Sheep Husbandry Sector, the Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Aga Syed Ruhullah has asked the officers to ensure full achievement of the targets fixed for the current fiscal.
The Minister was reviewing the physical and financial achievements of Animal and Sheep Husbandry Departments at an officers meeting here today.
Secretary Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhary, Director Animal Husbandry, Dr. P.K. Magotra, Director Sheep Husbandry, S K Sharma, besides senior district level officers of Jammu division were present on the occasion.
Describing Sheep and Animal Husbandry sector a potential income generating sector, Aga Ruhullah asked officers to launch awareness programme at large scale in rural areas and motivate educated youth for setting up sheep rearing, dairy and poultry units. He said State was still relying on mutton and poultry imports to meet the local demands, adding the time has come to formulate a comprehensive plan for increasing mutton and poultry production in the State to bridge the gap between demand and supply.
Ruhullah said that Jammu division was achieving self sufficiency in milk production, adding the need was to concentrate on production of milk by-products. He said a team of officers would be deputed to Gujarat to know the methods adopted there for promotion of dairy sector. He said self sufficiency in the production of milk, mutton and poultry can be achieved only after taking concrete measures for genetic improvement of animals.
The Minister asked officers to explore the ways for introducing backyard sheep units on the pattern of backyard poultry so that schemes would be formulated accordingly.
Director Animal Husbandry gave the details of the achievements recorded by the department.
Director Sheep Husbandry, while briefing the meeting, said that mutton production in the division has touched to 130 lakh quintals, while wool production has swelled to 36 lakh kgs during current fiscal. He said over 5 lakh animals have been inoculated against different diseases so far against a target of 25 lakh fixed for current financial year. He said 1.97 castration procedures are proposed to be under taken out of which 1.11 lakh have been completed so far.
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