Chandigarh, December 25: The Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, aims to ensure the health of pets. They also focus on the well-being of animals. They will do this by providing a comfortable setting in the state. The government will soon commence indoor services at six Veterinary Polyclinics in the state.

Rs 1.85 crore provided to enhance services at veterinary facilities

Disclosing this major development today, Punjab Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that funds worth over Rs 1.85 crore have been provided to enhance services at veterinary facilities. Equipment is also being supplied to start indoor services at Veterinary Polyclinics in Patiala, Amritsar, Bathinda, Sangrur, Gurdaspur, and Ludhiana. These polyclinics will soon offer a range of indoor services for pets and animals. The services include acute illness management, surgeries, and post-operative care. They will also provide lab tests, X-rays, and ultrasound facilities.

Veterinary Polyclinics : All the eligible animals have also been vaccinated

Gurmeet Singh Khudian highlighted the achievements of the Animal Husbandry department. He stated that all the cattle-heads received goat pox vaccine doses twice. The vaccines were administered free of cost to prevent the lumpy skin disease. All the eligible animals have also been vaccinated with Foot and Mouth vaccine twice a year.  During current year, 126.22 lakh doses of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine were given free of cost to the livestock. The vaccinations were conducted in two rounds to protect them from FMD.

1,75,000 doses of frozen sexed semen were procured

He further informed that 1,75,000 doses of frozen sexed semen were procured. This was aimed at producing only female calves. The procurement cost was Rs. 11.81 crore. It aims to improve the economic condition of the livestock farmers of the state. It also seeks to solve the menace of stray animals. 326 new Veterinary Officers, 538 Veterinary Inspectors, and 59 Group C posts have been filled. Recruitment of 405 more Veterinary Officers is under process. This aims to provide better animal healthcare services to the livestock farmers, he added.

3 crore have been provided to hospitals/dispensaries

The Animal Husbandry department’s Principal Secretary Rahul Bhandari said that dewormers have been purchased with Rs. 6.37 crore and distributed to all the livestock farmers in the state under the Mass Deworming Campaign. Apart from this, medicines worth Rs 3 crore have been provided to hospitals/dispensaries for the treatment of animals. Additionally, medicines worth Rs 1 crore are also being purchased.

organised 199 animal welfare and awareness camps in the state

The department has organised 199 animal welfare and awareness camps in the state. The state is conducting the 21st livestock census, he added. Dr. G S Bedi, Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, announced that for the first time in tricity’s history, the department served as a host partner for the Pet Expo at Parade Ground, Chandigarh, on December 21 and 22, 2024.