Bhubaneswar: A regional review meeting focusing on the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Sector for five eastern states—Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Meghalaya—along with the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, was held in Bhubaneswar today. The event was hosted by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, in collaboration with the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department (F&ARD), Government of Odisha.
The meeting commenced with a Green Inauguration by Alka Upadhyay, Secretary, DAHD, Government of India, who chaired the session. Senior officers from the DAHD and participating states attended the meeting, alongside dignitaries from various departments.
Welcoming the participants, Principal Secretary of F&ARD, Government of Odisha, Suresh Kumar Vashishth, acknowledged the efforts of the states and emphasized the significance of their collaboration. Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary, DAHD, set the agenda for the discussions, focusing on revised financial rules and the importance of strategic spending. She emphasized that states should utilize funds based on their needs within the financial year.
Key topics included the upcoming 21st Livestock Census and the National Livestock Mission (NLM). The chairperson, Upadhyay, conducted a thorough review of the progress in Central Sector and Central Sponsored schemes across the eastern states. These schemes included the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), Livestock Health, Dairy Development Schemes, and the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), among others.
The Odisha government was particularly commended for achieving a conception rate of 33% under the Artificial Breed Improvement Programme using Sex Sorted Semen, surpassing the national average of 18%. The meeting also addressed the progress of vaccinations under the National Animal Disease Control Programme and artificial insemination activities under the Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme.
Upadhyay emphasized the importance of the upcoming 21st Livestock Census, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to announce in early October. She urged all states to complete their training preparations promptly.
The meeting also discussed the financial and physical progress of schemes, including the onboarding of schemes in the SNA SPARSH platform, liquidation of unspent balances, and the submission of fresh proposals for FY 2024-25. Additionally, states presented their best practices through video and PowerPoint presentations, highlighting their achievements and challenges.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Badal Vishwakarma, Director of Livestock Health, DAHD, as states reiterated their commitment to advancing the livestock and dairy sectors in alignment with national objectives.