Decision to revamp Animal Husbandry and Veterinary

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The ideal veterinary doctor-cattle ratio at the all-India level is 1:5,000. However, the ratio in Assam is 1:18,000. This plight of the department has led the State government to make the decision to revamp the department in phases.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department to draw up a long-term plan to revamp the department. As part of the rejuvenation and future plans of the department, State Finance Minister Ajanta Neog took stock of the work of the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary today. Top level officers of the directorate and the department were present at the meeting.

The directorate presented a plan for the rejuvenation of the department in phases, including manpower strengthening. The department sought the appointment of more veterinary doctors to attain the ideal doctor-cattle ratio.

According to sources in the department, the veterinary doctor-cattle ratio in the state is 1:38,000, compared to the ideal norm of 1:5,000.

Since the LOC (letter of credit) scam a few decades ago, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department has been reduced to rags. Only seven districts in the state have veterinary hospitals with skeletal staff and ramshackle laboratories. The number of sanctioned posts for veterinary doctors in the state is 703. Of late, the department recruited 161 doctors, and the situation has improved to some extent. The department now has 11 sanctioned doctoral posts vacant.

The department sought the creation of 1,200 more posts of doctors to meet the ideal doctor-cattle ratio.

Neog assured the department that the government would take measures to revive the department in phases.

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