Centre directs states to accelerate livestock vaccination drive amid Foot Mouth Disease concern

New Delhi, Nov 14 (PTI) The Centre has directed states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Goa and Bihar to expedite livestock vaccination and strengthen disease reporting mechanisms, with a particular focus on establishing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Free zones.
     During a review meeting of central schemes on Wednesday, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary Alka Upadhyaya emphasized the need for enhanced sero-surveillance across these states, an official statement said.
     The meeting focused on the implementation of several key schemes including the Livestock Health and Disease Control Program, the Centre's flagship scheme targeting major livestock diseases.
     "States must ensure timely completion of six-monthly vaccination cycles for cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats," Upadhyaya said while reviewing the vaccination status.
     The program primarily targets diseases including FMD, Brucellosis, PPR, and Classical Swine Fever.
     Addressing the critical issue of fodder shortage, the Secretary urged states to intensify fodder cultivation efforts, suggesting the utilization of degraded forest areas to maximize production.
     She also pointed out the "slow progress" in implementing the Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries (AHDF)-Kisan Credit Card scheme, calling for immediate corrective measures to meet targets.
     The meeting highlighted several key priorities: extension of livestock insurance coverage across all categories, expansion of cooperative networks to strengthen the dairy sector, enhancement of dairy processing capacity and product diversification and successful implementation of the 21st Livestock Census.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)