The Union Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, conducted a Regional Review Meeting in Pusa, New Delhi. The session brought together key officials, including Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, and Directors from the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Departments of the Northeast states—Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. The discussion centered on the implementation and progress of various departmental programs and schemes.
During the meeting, Ms. Upadhyaya assessed the physical and financial progress of key initiatives such as the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, Entrepreneurship Development under the National Livestock Mission, the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), and the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD).
She highlighted the importance of localized strategies to enhance the productivity of bovines and resolve fodder challenges unique to the Northeastern terrain. Ms. Upadhyaya also emphasized the optimal utilization of infrastructure developed under NPDD for milk collection, processing, and testing. Strategies to boost the organized dairy sector, promote indigenous milk products, enhance value addition, and create robust marketing plans were identified as crucial to strengthening the dairy industry in the region.
The meeting acknowledged the states’ success in establishing farms under the Entrepreneurship Development programs of the National Livestock Mission. Ms. Upadhyaya encouraged states to take full advantage of the financial aid available under these schemes.
Further, she urged state officials to actively promote the Realigned Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) among beneficiaries to foster entrepreneurship. During the meeting, states presented their innovative initiatives and shared best practices.
Ms. Upadhyaya concluded the meeting by emphasizing the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure the success of the upcoming 21st Livestock Census. She underscored the importance of this census in shaping future policies for the Animal Husbandry sector and called for leveraging modern technologies to ensure its efficient execution.
A review of the Government of India’s flagship NADCP scheme, which includes vaccination programs against Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Brucellosis, was also conducted. Discussions covered the status of regular vaccinations for cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats. Other topics included components under Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases, the operationalization of Mobile Veterinary Units, and the formation of “Pashukalyan Samities.”
Key attendees included Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary, Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Ms. Suparna Pachouri, Joint Secretary, Mr. Jagat Hazarika, Advisor (Statistics), and other senior officials from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.
