Prioritising LIVESTOCK HEALTH for Healthier AgriEconomy

As India continues its march towards self-sufficiency in various spheres of agronomy and trade, specifically, livestock isn't ignored either. The Centre has rightly prioritised livestock health, recognising its critical role in delivering better incomes to farmers, ensuring food security and adding to the overall agricultural prosperity. Recent initiatives and innovations are transforming the livestock sector, from cutting-edge disease control programmes to advanced reproductive technologies, paving the way for a healthier, more productive, and sustainable agricultural future for India.

- Suchetana Choudhury

The National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), LH&DC, and Pashu Aushadhi are the three pillars of the revamped government program designated as the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP). Additionally, LH&DC comprises three sub-components: Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD), Establishment and Strengthening of Existing Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries-Mobile Veterinary Unit (ESVHD-MVU), and Critical Animal Disease Control Program (CADCP). The scheme's entire budget for the two years, 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, is Rs 3,880 crore, out of which Rs 75 crore will be spent on providing high-quality, reasonably priced generic veterinary pharmaceuticals and incentives for the sale of medications under the Pashu Aushadhi component, thereby promoting ethnoveterinary medicineswhich are based on traditional Indian knowledge and indigenous practices through PM Kisan Samridhi Kendras.

The Prime Minister launched the Animal Husbandry Department's Sex Sorted Semen and Genomic Chip projects earlier last year for the benefit of the animals. Multinational corporations have been producing sex-sorted semen up until this point since it is highly effective in improving breeds.