Animal Husbandry and Dairying Schemes: Secretary Alka Upadhyaya Reviews Progress in Northern States

Alka Upadhyaya, the Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, chaired a significant Regional Review Meeting on February 13 at Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi. The meeting brought together top officials from Northern States including Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, and Ladakh, along with Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and Secretaries responsible for the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department.

Assessing Progress of Key Schemes in Animal Husbandry Sector

The focus of the meeting was to assess the progress of various schemes and programmes within the Animal Husbandry and Dairying sector implemented by the Government of India.  Alka Upadhyaya scrutinized the physical and financial advancement of initiatives such as the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), Entrepreneurship Development under the National Livestock Mission (NLM), National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF), and the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) across Northern States and Union Territories.

Prompt Utilization of Resources

Emphasizing the efficient utilization of resources, the Secretary urged states to expedite the utilization and disposal of unspent balances allocated under various schemes. She directed the states to promptly finalize and submit their annual action plans and financial demands for the fiscal year 2024-25 to the Union Government.

Exploring Best Practices and Models

During the deliberations, Alka Upadhyaya advocated for the exploration of the 'Pashu Kalyan Model' introduced by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. She highlighted the importance of infrastructure development in enhancing healthcare services for animals within the states. Additionally, she stressed the significance of soliciting feedback from states regarding the effectiveness of the NADCP scheme to ensure its successful implementation.

Strengthening Dairy Industry

Recognizing the pivotal role of dairy cooperatives and Milk Producer Companies, the Secretary underscored the strategic importance of their establishment to fortify the dairy industry. She provided explicit directives to evaluate the functionality of animal welfare boards within each state to guarantee the welfare and well-being of animals across States and Union Territories.

With a concerted effort from all stakeholders, the Animal Husbandry sector aims to achieve sustainable growth and ensure the welfare of animals across the region.