Anantnag: Principal Secretary Animal, Sheep Husbandry, Fisheries and Transport, Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, Friday visited Anantnag and inaugurated various projects there under fisheries and animal husbandry sector.
District Development Commissioner Anantnag Mohammad Younis Malik, Director Fisheries R. K. Pandita, Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Joint Director Animal Husbandry and district officers of the line departments were present.
On the occasion, Samoon inspected various fish farms and animal, sheep husbandry units. He inaugurated various new trout hatchery houses at Panzath and Achabal, and hygienic fish sale centre at Ashajipora.
With the coming of these establishments, the production of trout fish seed will increase manifold. The fish sale centre Ashajipora will provide a platform for the government as well as for private unitholders for conducting the sale of fish in a modern and hygienic way.
During the visit, the Principal Secretary was apprised about declaring district Anantnag as a trout district by national fisheries development board, for which a project of Rs 2.192 crore was sanctioned under ‘Below Revolution’ scheme.
Under the project, the department is going to establish two new trout farms at Gutligund Verinag and Katsoo besides 30 new private trout units in the district.
Samoon was informed that during 2017-18 a record fish production of 414.92 tonnes has been achieved. The department has so for established 140 private fish units and 116 low-cost houses in the district. The department has also provided financial assistance to five fishermen for construction of low-cost houses and also distributed 30 bicycles, 603 lanterns, 67 cast nets to the bonafide fishermen of the district.
Later, the Principal Secretary also inaugurated double story Veterinary Hospital at Larkipora constructed by R&B Division Qazigund at an estimated cost of Rs 30.68 lakh.
Samoon also distributed five hybrid sheep among the sheep breeders at Pahalgam under free ram distribution scheme for genetic up- gradation of local livestock.
He also chaired a meeting of the Animal, Sheep Husbandry department to take stock of their functioning in the district.
Chief Animal Husbandry Officer Anantnag Dr. Mohammad Saleem informed the meeting about the progress and achievements made under livestock during 2017 – 2018. He said the total livestock population of the district has reached to 6033871 and the annual poultry production has touched 3000 tonnes. The milk production has reached 2.21 lakh tonnes and the egg production has reached 18.47 million.
Under cattle development and frozen semen program, 99924 artificial inseminations have been conducted and 40857 births have been recorded. Total cattle population has reached to 210958, buffalo population reached to 4615 and total poultry population to 388298 birds, the meeting was briefed.
District Sheep Husbandry Officer, Dr. Iftikhar Kabli informed that the sheep and goat population of the district has reached to 2.54 lakh while as mutton production has reached to 13.44 lakh kilograms and 4.29 lakh kilograms of wool has been recorded in the district. He further stated that 29 mini Sheep farm units have been established while as under RKVY 34 units have been set up.
On the occasion, DDC Anantnag informed the Principal Secretary that Rs 20 lakh financial assistance shall be provided under MGNREGA conversions mode for construction of 20 racing ponds in the district.
Speaking on the occasion, Samoon asked the youth to come forward and avail benefits under various centrally and state-sponsored schemes. He also said there are ample avenues of employment in the private sector, particularly in fish farming and sheep husbandry sector.
He also informed that in the Animal Husbandry Department, 1000 posts of doctors and 1500 posts of paramedical staff will be advertised soon to engage the well-qualified youths.
