A meeting of the Committee on Estimates of Legislative Assembly was held here today under the Chairmanship of MLA, Mohammad Ashraf Mir to review the overall functioning of Animal and Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Departments. Legislators, Mubarak Gul, Sukhnandan Kumar, Abdul Majeed Padder, Altaf Ahmed Wani, Yawar Ahmed Mir and Shehnaz Ganai attended the meeting.The meeting held threadbare discussions on the working of the Departments. It was said that that Animal & Sheep Husbandry is the back bone of the rural economy. The Committee called for launching a vigorous and wide awareness campaign about various Centrally and State sponsored schemes particularly cattle development programme.The Committee also emphasized upon the need to involve local public representatives for better implementation of the programme on the ground.
The meeting was informed that that Animal Husbandry Department will launch a vigorous and sustained vaccination to eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease among the cattle on the pattern of polio eradication programme. An amount of Rs. 3 crore has been earmarked for this purpose. It was said that Government has also earmarked Rs. 5 crore for promotion of Pashmina industry in the State under the Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP).The Committee recommend enhancement in revolving fund for wool procurement in the State. It also directed the concerned that the transfer policy and DPC of the Department be reviewed and also called for enhancement of budgetary allocation of the Department.The Commissioner Secretary, Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department, R K Bhagat briefed the Committee regarding the overall functioning of the Department and assured the Committee that the Department would undertake all necessary steps to its functioning more vibrant on the ground.
Directions were also given to the concerned to submit a detailed report of working of veterinary centres at village Puranpind, Chokrai and other adjoining villages in R.S Pura.The Committee directed the concerned authorities to charge rent on every booking of Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department’s huts to generate more revenue.The Committee decided to visit to inspect functioning of Fisheries, Animal and Sheep Husbandry breeding centres established at Jammu and Kashmir Divisions. Among others, Secretary, Legislative Assembly M R Singh, Director Sheep Husbandry, Jammu, Dr. K. Sharma, Director Sheep Husbandry Kashmir, Dr. M R Sheikh, Director Animal Husbandry, Jammu Dr P K Gupta, Director Fisheries, R N Pandita, Managing, SSPDB, Dr Muhammad Sharief, Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Dr M Y Chaproo, Joint Director Planning, Additional Secretary Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department and FA/ CAO and other officers of concerned Departments, besides officers and officials of Assembly Secretariat were present in the meeting.