Five eastern states urged to enhance livestock output

BHUBANESWAR: Union Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AHD) Alka Upadhyaya on Friday urged officials of five eastern states to address fodder constraints taking into account the scarcity and climate variations.

Chairing a regional review meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan here, Upadhyaya advised senior officials of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Meghalaya to identify local strategies to enhance the number of productive bovines and address fodder constraints.

The centre is providing 50 per cent capital subsidy up to Rs 50 lakh for the establishment of entrepreneurs for fodder seed processing infrastructure (processing and grading unit/fodder storage godown) to private companies, startups, farmers’ cooperative societies, SHGs and FPOs. The ministry is also assisting the states to increase fodder cultivation areas.

She emphasised on the need for optimal use of infrastructure created under the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) scheme for milk collection, chilling, processing and testing. Increasing the coverage of the organised dairy sector, promoting Indigenous milk products, enhancing value addition and developing marketing action plans were highlighted as strategic approaches to strengthen dairy supply chain in the region.

Upadhyaya further urged states to actively promote the realigned Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund scheme among beneficiaries to maximise its benefits and foster entrepreneurship.