Transit facilities, infra, livelihood projects being initiated for tribal population: Dr Shahid

Srinagar: The government has initiated a slew of measures towards providing facilities to tribal migratory population with focus on infrastructure development, healthcare, livestock improvement, income generation and skill development based on ongoing survey.
Pertinently, plan formulation under Integrated Village Development Scheme has already been initiated for overall tribal development at village level.
This was informed by Secretary, Tribal Affairs, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, while chairing a meeting held here Friday to finalize plan for tribal welfare. The plan included income generating units, milk villages, sheep villages, livelihood programmes, establishment of transit facilities, support system for transhumant population, strengthening of veterinary healthcare, mobile clinics/ hospitals and related initiatives.
Directors Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry departments, Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer and District Sheep Husbandry Officers besides others were present in the meeting.
Dr Shahid asked the departments to work in a coordinated manner towards finalization of locations being identified for construction of pre-fabricated transit accommodation on migratory routes, notification for selection of beneficiaries for income generating units and finalization of estimates. He discussed about flagship schemes, construction of veterinary healthcare infrastructure, mobile veterinary hospitals and other initiatives being launched by the tribal affairs department this year. He stressed on formulating project proposals for establishment of more than 2000 income generation units apart from livestock product management.
Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Kashmir, Purnima Mittal, proposed a common DPR for milk villages, requirement of mobile veterinary vans, inclusion of poultry farms under Milk Village Scheme apart from support for strengthening machinery and equipment in tribal areas.
Director, Sheep Husbandry Department, Kashmir, Bashir Ahmed Khan, emphasized projects including provision of tents at transhumant hamlets, mobile veterinary clinics, sheep villages, quality and value addition product support to tribal youth.
Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Jammu, Vivek Sharma, proposed 50% beneficiary share for IGUs to be supported by the department, addressing variation in costs, repair and upgradation of veterinary healthcare infrastructure in tribal areas among other projects.
Director, Sheep Husbandry Department, Jammu, Krishan Lal, proposed coverage of 1500 tribal families under transhumant hamlets, training of youth in rearing and value addition, construction of veterinary dispensaries, mobile clinics and income generating activities.
Director, Tribal Affairs Department, Musheer Mirza, underscored the need for working out convergence planning avenues with special focus on livestock development and infrastructure support for migratory population.
Joint Director, Planning, presented a resume of various proposed works to be implemented in coming days.
Secretary, Advisory Board, Mukhtar Choudhary, Joint Directors from concerned departments and others were also present in the meeting.