- Livestock census plays important role in farmers’ economy : Union Minister Prof. Baghel
- It helps nutritional interventions to enhance production : Minister Sri Mallik
Puri/Bhubaneswar: Livestock census is an integral part of Animal Resources Development in the country which leads to the economic development of livestock farmers and growth of national economy, said Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, GoI. Prof. Baghel while attending regional training programme for livestock census emphasized on it for planning in animal husbandry sector, disease control measures and breeding activities. Keeping in view the 21st Livestock census in the country scheduled from September to December 2024, such regional training programmes are being organised at various places of the country, Minister said.
This regional training programme was held under the aegis of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, GoI with collaboration of Fisheries and ARD Department, Govt. of Odisha, in which around 200 participants from 5 States viz: Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh attended including State and district nodal officers, scientists from Government of India and National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources(NBAGR).
Sri Gokulananda Mallik, Minister, Fisheries, ARD and MSME expressed his pleasure that Puri has been the venue for such a programme and said that number of animals present in a State or district will be known through the census in order to design adequate planning for livestock diseases control measures, disease surveillance, livestock breeding etc. Saying that the census helps nutritional interventions to enhance production, the Minister advised the participants to be more careful during the census so that statistics on various livestock products can be ascertained from the data of livestock population.
Training on use of mobile apps and dash-board along with recognition of breeds was imparted to make the participants familiar with the software and intricacies of breed recognition. Software professionals from GoI and scientists from National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources imparted training to the participants after which the nodal officers will work as master trainers for their respective States and districts.
Sri Suresh Kumar Vashishth, Principal Secretary, FARD, GoO outlined the paramount importance of livestock census in our growth while Sri Jagat Hazarika, Advisor, Statistics, DAHD, Sri V.P. Singh, Director, AHS, GoI, Dr B P Mishra, Director, NBAGR, GoI and Sri Ramashis Hazra, Director, ARD, GoO were present in the programme.
