Gujarat held 25,000 cattle health camps and eradicated 112 diseases among cattle, during the last ten years: Narendra Modi
Ahmedabad, Tuesday: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said that the State Government has accorded top priority to scientific development of agriculture and animal husbandry with a view to making rural economy strong.
Talking with farmers across the state directly through videoconferencing on the third day of Krishi Mahotsav-2012, he said the government has allocated Rs.350-crore on veterinary and animal husbandry during the current financial year.
He said there used to be time when agriculture was considered to be the best avocation and then it was neglected for about last 50 years, but it has been revived again during the last ten years. The government is encouraging educated youth and progressive farmers to join research and development in advanced methods of farming and animal husbandry.
Efforts have helped the state’s milk industry grow by 68 per cent. This was possible because the success stories of cattle owners were widely publicized. Since women have a great contribution in dairy industry, he said, training them in modern dairy practices could increase milk productivity and production further. Kutch and Kathiawadi Dairies were once closed down, but have been revived again. The newly founded Kamdhenu University proposes to start more topical courses.
Mr. Modi pointed out that Gujarat does not have perennial rivers and hence the government concentrated on animal husbandry and horticulture. The government pays equal importance to its 2.50-crore cattle wealth. The government arranges about 2,700 cattle health camps, totaling 25,000 such camps during the last ten years. As many as 112 diseases among cattle have been eradicated.
New projects include 57 cattle mobile medical vans, Rs.36-crore 80 artificial sperm centres of good breeds, Rs.30-crore fodder seeds distribution kits, Rs.30-crore for cattle pond, developing a modern fodder farm on 1,200-acres, helping 6-lakh BPL farmers double their crop production. New experiments in gobar gas and bio gas, animal hostel are some other innovative projects.
The Chief Minister said that the annual Krishi Mahotsav is no election year campaign but a sustained mission by one lakh government officials go out in the heat and dust of intense summer every year, before the onset of monsoon, inviting farmers and cattle owners to take the maximum benefit of latest scientific advancement in agriculture and animal husbandry.
