Is it to serve some political expediency or just experimenting some new ideas on hit and trial basis but disproportionate to or not matching with the actual requirements and also not backed by a ready infrastructure or no funds to raise one, for fructification of that or those ideas, that in the year 2014, it was “felt” imperative to establish separate veterinary University in Jammu and Kashmir? Agreed, priority sector of Agriculture and the farming community directly dealing with dairy, poultry, sheep rearing and allied activities would have been directly and vastly benefitted from the services and expertise of a well trained human resource in Veterinary science. In fact, their incomes would have increased as a result of expert advice as also timely treatment of their ailing animals in respect of establishment of a separate university for veterinary science and medicine. However, if it is deduced that the very idea of establishment of a separate Veterinary University was perhaps entirely utopian and non -materialistic, it would not be an exaggeration . If it would have not been that, then how could a committee framed twice to chalk out the nitty- gritty of the establishment of the University practically achieve nothing even as on date. Important and directly related to people projects like the one under reference, should never be subjected to such triviality and uncertainty.
In this connection, the casual approach towards not taking the ideas mooted or announcements made to their logical ends, can be gauged by the fact that during the past six years, no step whatsoever has been taken towards even initiating a ‘formal discussion’ vis-a-vis as many as two committees having been constituted for the purpose. How could that be expected in absence of not even terms of reference or the brief of the first “High level” committee having been laid down. What would that committee deliberate upon and put forth its recommendations about has, therefore, remained mysteriously elusive. Should, therefore, orders and communiqués issued from the General Administration Department be not ensured to be seriously and meticulously implemented or in the absence thereof, deferred or even rescinded the same, citing administrative or financial constraints but duly communicated so that credibility and element of due relevance got accorded to such orders.
The fact of the matter is that the said committee had members on it from Finance, Agriculture, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, SKUAST Jammu and Kashmir, experts from veterinary etc and it had to submit its recommendations within a month especially when the committee was to be serviced by the Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department. However, normally, there should be proper follow-up and monitoring of the purpose and the appraising of the task assigned to committees which in the instant case, was seen nowhere resulting in the very idea of the establishment of the University slipping into absolute non -priority category.
However, some type of movement of the dormant file was observed only last year which resulted in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir feeling the need of a separate university now for Veterinary Sciences and Fisheries. Accordingly , again a committee of experts was formed to submit its report within six months the date of which has just gone by while the members on the committee have reportedly not met even once. The crux of the entire matter is the non serious approach of the higher authorities in the government which has resulted in the very idea of the establishment of the said University with whatever nomenclature but definitely dealing with veterinary sciences having remained in ‘suspended animation’. Can the Government throw some light on the subject matter to clear emerging doubts and apprehensions?
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