Ganderbal, June 6: Minister for Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi today said a project of Rs 20 crore has been sent to the Centre for promotion of rural backyard poultry in J&K.
 He said need of the hour is to motivate farmers to set up income generating units in poultry and dairy sectors for which government is providing financial assistance and expert guidance.  
 Maintaining that it has been playing key role in state’s rural economy, the Minister said the livestock sector contributes 11 per cent to SGDP and constitutes 40 per cent of the agricultural GDP.
 At an officers’ meeting here today, the minister implored the senior officials of the twin departments of Animal and Sheep Husbandry working in Ganderbal and Srinagar districts to put in their efforts to increase production and productivity in the sector.
 The meeting was informed that sheep and goat population of Ganderbal has reached to 1.41 lakh including 1.06 lakh cross bred  while mutton production of the district has touched to 7.3 lakh kg and wool production to 2.35 lac kg during last fiscal.  As many as 1.55 lakh sheep and goats have been vaccinated besides providing medicines worth Rs. 4.3 lakh to the farmers during the period.  27 sheep extension centres and 3 first aid centres are working in 4 blocks  viz. Lar, Ganderbal, Kangan and Wakura for providing medicare facilities to the sheep and goats of the district,  the meeting was told.
 It was given out that milk production has reached to 66.59 tons while egg production has touched 5.26 million. Under cattle development programme, artificial insemination has been given to 22000 cattle recording 10800 cross bred births. It was informed that 1 lakh cattle and 9.70 lakh poultry birds have been vaccinated during this period.  
 While reviewing the progress of Srinagar district, it was given out that district has been divided into 7 blocks and poultry population has reached to 1.59 lakh.
 The meeting was told that milk production of the district has touched 63.69 thousands metric tons and egg production to 20.67 million during 2010-11. 22077 artificial inseminations have been conducted recording 10337 births during last fiscal, the meeting was informed. As many as  1.32 lakh cattle and 27.57 lakh poultry birds have been given vaccination during the period.
 Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, B D Sharma on the occasion took a detailed review of the progress made in implementation of various programmes.
 Sharma said under the employment generation programme recommended by Dr Rangarajan Committee ten hatcheries are being set up in ten districts including one in Ganderbal to augment the day-old chick production for giving boost to poultry production.
 He said about 200 Private Para vets (unemployed youth) would be provided AI Equipment and first aid kits worth Rs 50,000 each to extend services in areas where there are no veterinary centers. He laid emphasis on promotion of backyard farming.
 He urged District Development Commissioner, Mir Showkat Ahmad to lead and guide the departmental functionaries in implementing various centrally and state sponsored husbandry programmes and in finding suitable land for setting up a hatchery and breeding farm in Ganderbal district.
 The DDC informed the house that he on people’s initiative cleared encroachment from 3500 Kanals of Community Grazing Land or Kah Charai.
 Among others who were present on the occasion included Drs G R Mir & B R Kotwal, directors of AHD & SHD respectively,  Dr F A Kaloo, CEO, LDB, Kashmir,  Javaid Iqbal Joint Director Planning ASH department &  Mukhtar Ahmad Bazaz  Chief  Planning Officer, Ganderbal. Drs K A Zargar, N D A Reshi CAHOs of Ganderbal & Srinagar respectively, Drs Wajih Ahmad Mir & MH Zargar, DSHOs of Ganderbal & Srinagar respectively made presentation on the achievements and bottlenecks in implementation of various state and CS schemes. All the BVOs of the twin districts participated in the meeting.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 6 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 6 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 7 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST