Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 24:
In line with the greater emphasis being given to veterinary service all over the world, the State Government has taken up initiatives to set up veterinary hospitals in each and every district of the State in order to provide modern and better veterinary service to the farmers of the State.
This was disclosed by Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister W Leima while speaking as chief guest in a function to commission a unit that could produce 10,000 litres of pasteurised milk per day at Central Dairy Plant, Porompat.
To set up veterinary hospitals in each district, the Union Government has earmarked Rs 4.5 crores during the current fiscal year, said Leima.
Saying that the amount is expected to be released by December first week, the Minister appealed to all concerned to work with transparency.
Even as more than 350 cooperative societies have been registered under the Central Dairy Plant, Porompat, only 50/60 societies have been producing milk regularly, lamented Leima.
The meagre 700 litres of milk produced by this farms would not be able to sustain the pasteurisation unit under the Central Dairy Plant commissioned today.
As such the Veterinary Department ought to take up measures to revive the defunct registered societies, she observed.
From the side of the cooperative societies, they should put in sincere efforts to produce sufficient milk in the larger interest of the State, she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Rural Development and Science & Technology Md Allaudin Khan assured that MOBC would extend all possible cooperation concerning the financial difficulties being faced by the Veterinary Department.
In his presidential speech, Commissioner of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services IS Laishram disclosed that in accordance to the instruction of the Supreme Court to supply cooked foods in place of Ready to Eat food, the State Government has been working to provide milk and eggs to Anganwadi centres.
As such, poultry farms and dairy farms established under the Veterinary Department ought to be developed and made more productive, he noted.
Earlier, Minister of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry W Leima inaugurated the pasteurisation unit and dedicated to the people.