Principal Secretary Animal, Sheep, Fisheries and Transport Department Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon today said that steps are afoot to come up with a vibrant supply chain management in livestock sector to pave way for better returns to the rearers.Dr Samoon was speaking to stakeholders during a day-long tour of Kathua district along with a team of officers and farmers' representatives.During the tour, Samoon visited Rajbagh goat farm and sought details about the practices being adopted in rearing of goats. He had a round of different sections of the farm and asked the farm management to increase the high yielding production of goats in the farm.He said that Goat farming is an important source of income in many communities of district and stressed on motivating the small goat farmers to produce more high yielding goats.“Sometimes despite increase in production, the farmers have not been able to earn more money. Many of them do not know how to breed goats appropriately for hardiness (health). It is important to have institutional intervention at earliest for their benefit,” he said adding that Livestock rearing provides sustainable economic growth, food security and agricultural development.Dr Samoon also visited veterinary hospital Hiraagar and took stock of medicine supplies besides progress on artificial insemination and livestock census.He also visited poultry demonstration center Hiranagar and stressed on guiding poultry entrepreneurs in timely vaccination and increasing the capacity and capability of the department in controlling outbreaks.He said that various steps are afoot to make J&K not only self-sufficient but poultry exporting state.
He also met various cattle rears in the district and enquired about the facilities and challenges in reearing livestock. He directed for strengthening the medical supplies and organising veterinary camps regularly in potential areas.He also visited National fish seed farm Kathua and laid stress on perspective planning for the department to meet future demands. He asked the officers to strengthen the disease detection methods at farm and make fish farmers aware about the same. He also asked them to devise a health calendar for the crop in order to minimize the mortality chances.Pertinently the farm is biggest in north India and produces 24 lakh fish frys per year including Rohu, Catla, Mrigla, Grass Carb, Common Carb, Silver Carb etc.Later, he also visited RTO Office Kathua and sought report about the functioning of the transport department in the district.He directed for speedy disposal of documents to the vehicle owners besides strengthening the enforcement of traffic rules in the district.
He also directed for early land acquisition for speedy construction of Institute of Driving, Training and Research ( ISTD) in the district.He also sought report about the accident prone spots in the district and measures taken by the department to minimize their occurrence.The Principal Secretary was accompanied by Director Animal Husbandry Jammu Victor Kaul, Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu Sajeev Kumar, Director Fisheries R.K. Pandita, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer Jammu Mohammad Ismail, Joint Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu Dr Muhammad Raza, RTO Kathua Dr Raj Kumar Thappa Chief Project Officer Fisheries Farm Kathua Gopal Krishnan and senior officers of these departments.