Principal Secretary, Animal, Sheep Husbandry department, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon today said that livestock sector holds key to drive the economy of state which is becoming possible with liberal funding from NABARD.He was speaking at a meeting convened to review the progress on ongoing projects of the department in the State funded by NABARD.The meeting was attended by Director Animal Husbandry Jammu Dr Victor Kaul, Director Fisheries R. N. Pandita, MD Wool Board Harnam Singh Rana and other officials. The meeting was also attended by Chief General Manager NABARD P Balachandran, General Manager NABARD, Suresh Chand and other officials.While stressing on NABARD officials to invest liberally in the Agriculture and its allied sectors like Animal and Sheep husbandry for upgrading infrastructure and improving other facilities, Dr Samoon said these sectors offer huge potential for employment generation in rural areas.The Principal Secretary asked the NABARD and Bank officials to launch mass awareness to enable the people to avail benefit of these schemes.Dr Samoon also highlighted the need for setting up new and up-grading existing laboratories, investment in fodder farms, veterinary hospitals, breeding farms, training institutes and strengthening other initiatives in livestock sector.The major projects projected for NABARD funding in the meeting included construction of cattle breeding and research farm at Chatha Jammu, veterinary hospitals at Athwajan Srinagar, Khaltsileh, ShargolKargil, Qaimoh and Bijbhehra, relocation of sheep breeding farm from Dachigam to Khimber, Multipurpose sheep facilitating centre and boundary wall at DusooPampore etc.