Upgrade rural livestock units as veterinary dispensaries: Congress

Vijayawada: PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy on Tuesday asked Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to upgrade the rural livestock units in the State as veterinary dispensaries and appoint 500 veterinary doctors in the dispensaries to provide services to the livestock.

He said livestock plays very important rule in rural economy and beneficial to the farmers. Raghuveera Reddy wrote a letter to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday in this regard.  

He said as per the norms of the Veterinary Council of India, all veterinary hospitals must have veterinary doctors. He pointed out that the Telugu Desam Party had assured in its election manifesto that every year 500 rural livestock units would be upgraded in the State and later ignored it.

He said as per the Veterinary Council of India Rule No 1984, every veterinary dispensary must have a qualified veterinary doctor and livestock should be treated under the supervision of veterinary doctors but it was not being implemented in the State.

He said it is incorrect to treat the livestock with paramedical staff. He said a large number of rural people were depending on buffaloes, goats, sheep and other animals to get livelihood and they need the assistance of the government.

He said the TDP government had claimed that it had allocated Rs 1,223 crore for the Animal Husbandry department in 2018-19 Budget and wondered why the government was not recruiting the veterinary doctors.

He said for the first time in the history of Andhra Pradesh, 500 veterinary graduates have remained unemployed in the state. He said that he was hopeful that the government would respond positively and take action to upgrade the rural live stock units in the state.