Jammu: Principal Secretary to Government, Animal and Sheep Husbandry & Fisheries Departments, Navin Kumar Choudhary, today chaired a meeting of senior functionaries of Animal Husbandry Department at Civil Secretariat, here to discuss and review the implementation of Nationwide Artificial Insemination Program (NAIP), phase-III in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
During the meeting, threadbare discussions were held on Action Plan of NAIP-III for implementation in UT of J&K. The action plan was prioritized in view of release of first instalment of Rs 692.28 lakh under NAIP, phase-III against total plan of Rs 21.06 Cr approved by GoI. District wise target was set for number of dairy animals to be covered under NAIP–III.
Director, Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Purnima Mittal; Director Finance, AHD, Imtiyaz Ahmed Wani; Director Planning, AHD, Girdhari Lal; Chief Executive Officer, Livestock Development Board, Jammu, Dr Matloob Ahmed Tak; Chief Executive Officer, LDB Kashmir, Dr.Anil Gupta; TechnicalOfficer, AHD, Dr Arif Bashir; and other senior officers of Animal Husbandry Department attended the meeting at Jammu besides through video conferencing from Srinagar.
Speaking during the meeting, the Principal Secretary said that the main aim of the program is to achieve 70 percent Artificial Insemination coverage over next 5 years. He also said that bovine breeding with AI technology by using frozen semen straws of high pedigreed progeny tested bulls is a basic requirement for achieving considerable increase in milk production and productivity.
Principal Secretary added that providing doorstep reliable AI delivery systems in districts with less than 50 percent AI coverage and birth of genetically superior male and female bovine calve is necessary to increase in milk production of UT and achieving the goal of doubling of milk production in next 5 years.
Navin Choudhary said that the Government of India has approved an Action Plan of Rs 2106.50 lakhs for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for implementation of NAIP-III out of which 692.28 lakhs have been released as first instalment.
The Principal Secretary also said that the physical target with respect to the sanctioned activity components has been reviewed on the basis of sanctioned amount, current cost and actual requirement. He said that the work plan based on micro planningwith reframed physical targets shall be submitted to Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India.
Navin Choudhary also said that the government is giving main focus for setting up maximum number of dairy units in Jammu and Kashmir with launch of Integrated Dairy Development Scheme under UT CAPEX in order to make J&K self-reliant in milk production. He added that this unique step will generate employment in dairy sector for the youth here.
The Principal Secretary further directed the concerned Department to create mass awareness among dairy farmers regarding door step delivery of free AI service under NAIP III through print and electronic media.
On the occasion, the senior officers of Animal Husbandry Department also briefed the meeting about the measures being taken for proper implementation of NAIP, phase-III in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir besides physical and financial achievement in this regard.
Meanwhile, a delegation led by President, Kissan Union, Tejinder Singh along with Punjab Singh and Mukader Singh, Dairy entrepreneurs of Jammu met the Principal Secretary and highlighted several important issues regarding the development of Agriculture and Dairy sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
They appreciated the efforts being put in place by the Animal Husbandry and Agriculture Departments under the dynamic supervision of Navin Kumar Choudhary for holistic development and implementation of various Central/UT sponsored schemes for the welfare of the farmers of J&K. The delegation also submitted several suggestions regarding further development of these sectors.
