Ampati: In a bid to provide veterinary services at the farmer’s doorstep, Union Minister for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Parshottam Rupala on Tuesday launched mobile veterinary units (MVUs) at a function organised by the state Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department at Mahendraganj in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district.
The mobile veterinary units are equipped with all the necessary infrastructure required for the treatment of animals. Each mobile veterinary unit comprises one doctor, paramedical staff, and a driver.
Speaking during the event, the Union Minister said, “The mobile units are aimed at providing veterinary services to the farmers at their doorstep. These MVUs are customized vehicles for providing veterinary healthcare with equipment for diagnosis, treatment and minor surgery, audio-visual aids, and other basic requirements for the treatment of animals.”
“We have dedicated 17 mobile veterinary units to Meghalaya. 90% of their expenditure will be borne by the Government of India. In the entire state, veterinary facilities will be available at the doorstep of the people. One has to just dial 1962 and an MVU will reach your doorstep,” he said.
With the help of the mobile units, the officials of the AH & Veterinary department will be able to conduct vaccination, artificial insemination as well as all kinds of treatment for sick animals, he added.
Rupala lauded the efforts of the Fishery department for increasing fish production in the district. “The state will be able to export fish to meet the deficit. The area also has the potential for poultry and dairy,” he said.
“I visited and inspected the dairy farm near Tura. It’s an old one. Time has changed and it needs to be upgraded. The cooperative model should be adopted to help dairy farmers. Dairy farmers should cooperate with the local administration and benefit from the schemes of the Central government,” he said.
Rupala also said that border villages are being prioritised under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. “We (ministers) have been instructed to visit the border areas and interact with the border communities,” he said.
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During his visit to South West Garo Hills, the Union Minister also undertook a whirlwind tour of various field projects in the district. He visited the Indo-Bangladesh border haat at Kalaichar and inspected the border fencing along the 38 km border with Bangladesh. He interacted with the BSF jawans, BSF officials, officials of the Border Areas Development department, and the members of the Border Haat Committee who raised issues like lack of basic amenities and infrastructure for traders in the haat.
Rupala was also impressed by the maintenance of Aqua Park at Jolgaon by fish farmers and Taljawa lake at Kumligaon, which have been created with the assistance of Central and state schemes through community effort. Earlier, he also paid a visit to Kamakhya Temple at Thakuranbari and interacted with local communities and SHGs at Monabari and Kodaldhowa villages of the district.
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