Principal Secretary, Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department, Navin K. Choudhary, today convened an officers meeting to review functioning of Animal Husbandry Department.Navin had a detailed review of Cattle Feed Production Scheme, Integrated Poultry Development Scheme, Fodder Development Scheme, Integrated Poultry Development Scheme and other related schemes.Addressing the officers, Principal Secretary asked them to focus on setting up and supporting milk processing, packaging, value addition and marketing besides increasing milk production in the Union Territory. He said that the region has enough potential to double its milk production and all efforts should be initiated to tap this prospective.Principal Secretary highlighted that the need of the hour is to encourage and support entrepreneurs and large milk processing units. He asked the concerned officers to ensure that there should be no delay in disbursal of subsidies to the entrepreneurs.He asked the Chief Animal Husbandry Officers from Rajouri and Poonch to enthuse new life to the departmental activities with emphasis on encouraging people to set up cattle feed production units. He said that the twin districts can provide good quality feed to farmers from both the provinces of the UT which would also boost their income in return.
Navin Choudhary said that animal husbandry sector has the scope and potential to become an alluring source of self employment in certain regions of the UT where agriculture is not quite viable. He asked the district officers to organise regular promotional activities besides conducting interactive sessions with the college students regarding entrepreneurship avenues in animal husbandry. He also shared the success story of Aijaz Rather, who has set a fisheries unit in Kokernag and is generating handsome income.Regarding Bird Flu, Principal Secretary was briefed that a control room has been set up in the office of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to monitor and control the menace.He reviewed surveillance and containment measures being implemented to deal with Bird Flu effectively in both the divisions. He stressed on the need to remain vigilant and educate people through media channels about the highly fatal nature of the infection.Among others present on the occasion included Director Animal Husbandry Jammu, Vivek Sharma; Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu, Dr Sanjeev Kumar; Joint Director (Farms), Belicharana Jammu, Dr Daljeet Singh Bindra; Joint Director (Poultry), Belicharana Jammu, Dr Anil Gupta among all Chief Animal Husbandry Officers of Jammu division while Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Purnima Mittal; Director Sheep Husbandry Kashmir, Dr Abdul Salam Mir and Chief Animal Husbandry Officers of Kashmir division participated through video conferencing.