Centre Urges States to Fully Utilize Allocated Funds for Animal Husbandry Sector

Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy Sanjeev Kumar Balyan stated that the budget allocation of this ministry has increased in recent years, particularly since its separation from the Agriculture Ministry.

He announced a 12,500 crore investment to combat foot and mouth disease and brucellosis. "We (the Centre) do not waste money. It is done by states. We grant funding to states for projects in this field. The vaccination process is overseen by the Centre and is entirely funded by the Central government," Balyan explained.

"It is very unfortunate that animal husbandry departments in (many) States have not been able to use Central funds in the last two years. Every year, we have to return monies from the budget," Balyan explained.

Ministers and officials in state governments should look for ways to increase spending capacity in order to effectively implement policies, he added. Even in the previous fiscal year, he noted, the budget amount was not fully utilised. "Despite repeated requests, states are unable to use funds," Balyan said. He also said that there is an inferiority mindset among bureaucrats and Ministers in state governments in charge of the animal husbandry department, which he blamed for the lack of zeal to spend the funds.

In 2021-22, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying's actual budget was Rs 2,584.47 crore, compared to the Budget Estimate (BE) of 3,101.98 crore. Similarly, the Department's revised estimate (RE) for 2022-23 has been reduced to Rs 3,105.17 crore from Rs 3,918.84 crore in BE. Nonetheless, the allocation for 2023-24 has been increased to Rs 4,327.85 crore.

Every year on the final Saturday of April, the veterinary profession is honoured on World Veterinary Day. Parshottam Rupala, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy, emphasised the importance of registering livestock births and deaths in order to have real-time data. He stated that the government performs a 'Livestock Census' on a regular basis, but there is now no mechanism for registration of birth and death, as there is for humans.

According to the minister, there should be some scientific method of counting birth-death in the livestock business since real-time data will benefit all stakeholders and help achieve better growth. According to the 2019 Census, the total livestock population in the country was 536.76 million.

Rupala also emphasized the importance of animal husbandry in India, claiming that this profession predates farming. He stated that India is the world's greatest milk producer, with milk output valued at roughly Rs 9-9.5 lakh crore per year, which is greater than the combined value of wheat and rice.