ITANAGAR, 20 Dec: Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development (AHVDD) Minister Gabriel Denwang Wangsu expressed concern over the state’s declining livestock population and milk productivity.
Wangsu said that the current status is discouraging with per capita availability of milk showing a significant drop.
“We must work with all sincerity to reverse this trend,” the minister said
during a departmental meeting here on Friday.
During the meeting, which was held in the hybrid mode, Wangsu reviewed the progress of the 21st Quinquennial Livestock Census, the 4th round of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccination and other critical issues.
Saying that all future development plans would be data-driven, he directed the officials to ensure factual data collection for the livestock census and vaccination programmes.
Stressing the importance of accurate data collection and timely reporting, he urged all the district officers to ensure that the census and vaccination coverage are done efficiently. Wangsu further directed the department to expedite the creation of dairy cooperative societies and identify dairy farmers for targeted interventions.
“Every new development plan must align with a comprehensive master plan, ensuring efficiency and sustainability,” he said.
The minister further stressed the need for strict adherence to vaccination schedules under the National Animal Disease Control Programme to achieve 100% coverage by mid-January, 2025.
Speaking on the importance of conducting sero-surveillance and sero-monitoring, the minister urged the district officers to strictly comply with protocols designed by the National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics.
The district veterinary officers (DVO) presented the progress reports on the livestock census, FMD vaccination drive, disease monitoring, and programmes like the National Livestock Mission and Atma Nirbhar Pashu Palan Yojana. They also highlighted challenges like shortage of human resource, logistical issues and gap in infrastructure.
AHVDD Secretary Hage Tari urged the officials to prioritise fieldwork and provide daily updates from each district.
AHVDD Director Dr Danjan Longri, Joint Director Dr Karbom Basar, and other senior officers, including DVOs from all districts, attended the meeting.
