Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, chaired a Regional Review Meeting on 13th November 2024 in New Delhi of the Western States/ UTs. The meeting brought together Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Directors, and scheme officers from the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Departments of the Western States including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Goa and Bihar to discuss the progress of various departmental programs and schemes.

The meeting was also attended by key officials of the department including Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary and Shri Jagat Hazarika, Adviser (Statistics).

During the meeting, Secretary DAHD  reviewed the physical and financial progress of several key schemes, including the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), Entrepreneurship Development under the National Livestock Mission (NLM), the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), and the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD).

The Government of India’s flagship LHDCP (Livestock Health and Disease Control Program), which focuses on vaccination against major diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Brucellosis, PPR (Peste des Petits Ruminants) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF), reviewed, with discussions on the status of six-monthly vaccinations for cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats. Other topics included the components under Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD), the operationalization of Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs), and the formation of “Pashukalyan Samities.” Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary urged the states to speed up vaccinations and increase reporting to prevent disease spread. She underscored the need for sero-surveillance and mentioned that the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Free-zones should be a focus. Highlighting the importance of growth in dairy sector, she highlighted the need to increase processing capacity, and diversify dairy products.

Discussing the issue of  fodder production, she urged all states to increase efforts to expand fodder cultivation, emphasizing the need to maximize available land, including degraded forest areas. She emphasized the importance of livestock insurance coverage and requested all the states/UTs to extend the coverage to all livestock.  The Secretary also raised concerns about the slow progress of the AHDF-Kisan Credit Card (AHDF-KCC), calling for immediate action to meet targets. Additionally, she underscored the importance of expanding the cooperative network across states to strengthen the dairy sector. Critical role of successful implementation of the 21st Livestock Census in shaping future policies for the Animal Husbandry Sector was  also highlighted.

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