Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to bail out the farmers from the current agrarian crisis, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that the state government’s initiative to promote and develop livestock, dairy, fisheries and equestrian sports was a right step in this direction.Speaking on the occasion after releasing the brochure of the 8th National Livestock Championship & Expo 2016 being held from January 8 to 12, 2016 at Sri Muktsar Sahib here at his residence this morning, the Chief Minister said that, Punjab being an agrarian state, the lucrative business of Cattle rearing has been promoted at a large scale to encourage youth of the state to adopt this business as an alternative profession. He also said that, this championship was being organized for last seven years with an aim to bring awareness among the farmers to improve livestock breed of various cattle heads as viable alternatives for diversification of agriculture. Mr. Badal said that in order to give a further push to the agriculture sector besides motivating the state peasantry to adopt allied farming the state government has already decided to double the prize money for this championship to the tune of Rs. 2.5 crore from 1.25 crore from this year.
The Chief Minister said that it was a matter of great pride and satisfaction that farmers from across the country bring livestock in the championship to prove their worth in such a tough competition. Lauding the role and efforts of cattle rearers for taking part in livestock championship, he said that it was the result of hard-work and day-night looking after to these cattle.Stressing upon the need to adopt allied sectors in farming, the Chief Minister said that in the present scenario merely dependence on agriculture was not profitable rather the farm should adopt allied farming in terms of dairy, piggery, goatary to enhance their income substantially. He added the low margin due to stagnated MSP coupled with high cost of agriculture inputs have now compelled the farmers to go far live stock sector to improve their economic lot otherwise they would be vanished with the passage of time.
Quoting the diversification plan brought to fore by Punjab Government, the Chief Minister said organizing such livestock championship events was also an essential part of diversification plan.Apprising the Chief Minister about the 8th National Livestock Championship & Expo 2016, the Additional Chief Secretary Mr. Mandeep Singh Sandhu said that this Championship was a unique initiative of Department of Animal Husbandry, Fishery and Dairy Development & Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). He said that horses, buffaloes, cows, sheep, goat from various states including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh would be participating in the competition adding that free lodging and boarding would also be provided to live stock owners. He informed that apart from livestock championship, a Livestock exhibition with the help of FICCI was also being organized wherein more than 200 exhibitors comprises of dairy, animal feed, pharma, agri machinery would participate.
Mr. Sandhu also briefed that for the first time, a delegation of noted veterinarians from Australia would especially participate to deliberate on the vital issues related to the growth and development of Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Poultry, Dairy and Piggery taking place at the global level during the various technical sessions organized on Livestock Healthcare & Management, Saline Water Fish Culture, Indigenous Dairy Cattle, Pig & Goat Farming and Food processing to educate the progressive farmers to go for allied farming in a big way. Mr. Sandhu also told the Chief Minister that the Animal Husbandry department had so far organized 16 district level Livestock fairs till date and two more such fairs would be organized on December 11-14, 2015 covering the Mansa, Moga, Amritsar, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Faridkot districts.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Advisor Animal Husbandry Prof. PK Uppal, Additional Chief Secretary Mr. Mandeep Singh Sandhu, Chairman of FICCI Regional Advisory Council Mr. Rajinder Gupta, Director Animal Husbandry Dr. HS Sandha, Director Dairy Development Mr. Inderjeet Singh, Director & Warden of Fisheries Dr. Madan Mohan, Joint Director Animal Husbandry Dr. Amarjit Singh, Joint Director (Engg.) Agriculture Er. D.R. Kataria, Chief General Manager IDBI Bank Mr. Ajay Sharma, Regional Head FICCI Mr. GB Singh, GM NABARD Mr. Krishan Singh and Chief Finance Officer CLAAS India Mr. Sriram Kanan.