PUNJAB TO RECRUIT 300 VETERINARY OFFICERS SOON: GURMEET SINGH KHUDIAN
Complete inoculation drive against FMD and Haemorrhagic Septicaemia by June 30, Animal Husbandry Minister directs officials
Chandigarh, June 14:In order to further strengthen the animal healthcare network in the state, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is all set to recruit 300 Veterinary Officers, said Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries, Punjab here on Friday.
The Cabinet Minister, while reviewing the ongoing projects of the department here at his office, informed that the recruitment process has already been initiated by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC). Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led state government has already recruited as many as 326 Veterinary Officers and 536 Veterinary Inspectors in the last two years.
He stated that the Government of India has received an action plan worth Rs 93 crore for procuring medicines and equipment in Veterinary hospitals.
He also instructed department officials to complete the vaccination drive against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Hemorrhagic Septicaemia by June 30, 2024. Assuring the minister of meeting the deadline, Director of Animal Husbandry Dr. Ranjiv Bali informed the cabinet minister that the drive has covered approximately 78% and 75% of livestock against FMD and Haemorrhagic Septicaemia, respectively, up to now.
To encourage farmers to adopt dairy farming, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the Dairy Development Department is providing 25 per cent financial assistance to the general category and 33 per cent to scheduled caste category beneficiaries on the purchase of milch animals, on the prescribed rate of Rs. 70,000 per animal. The department has given around Rs. 2 crore as financial assistance for 1,089 milch animals during 2023-24, he added.
He said that the department has also provided financial assistance for 7200 milch animals to livestock farmers within the past five weeks under National Livestock Scheme, under which financial assistance is being provided to small/medium milk producers for insurance of one to five milch animals. The Animal Husbandry Minister mentioned that they are giving 50 percent financial assistance to the general category and 70 percent financial assistance to SC farmers.
