Punjab State today received National Rashtria Gokul Mission Best Performing State Award 2018 for best performance in Animal Husbandry sector under Rashtria Gokul Mission.Punjab Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Balbir Singh Sidhu received this prestigious Award from Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Dairy developmentand Fisheries Mr. Radha Mohan Singh during a function in the National Capital on World Milk Day.Talking to media persons after receiving the award Mr. Sidhu said that Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has been working whole heartedly for further developing Animal Husbandry and dairy sector in the state so as to create alternative income sources for the farming community of Punjab.Our main focus is to encourage the farmers to adopt Dairy Farming, fisheries and other assisting occupations for creating additional income sources to put them out of financial crunch being faced due to increase in agro inputs during a long course of time. Punjab Government is also working hard to put the state on crop diversification, added Mr. Sidhu.Mr. Sidhu also informed that the Punjab Government has also handed over a proposal to the Union Government seeking allocation of some key projects for further developing dairy, breed development, to encourage research and developing infrastructure for breeding. The proposal included the projects of setting up quarantine station at Amaritsar, enhancement of facilities at Semen Station Nabha,Budgetary allocation for regional research center at Central Institute of Fresh water Aqua Culture at Bathinda, Enhancement of Budgetry under DEDS Scheme, Upgradation of Regional Decease Diagnostic Lab Jalandhar to the level of HSADDL Bhopal along with other projects.On the Occasion Additional Chief Secretary, Dairy Development Punjab Dr. G. Vajralingam, Director Dr. Amarjit Singh, and Mr. Harkesh Chand Sharma were also present.