Govt nod for Rs 89-cr veterinary university in Punjab

As the first such university of Northern India, it would not only endeavour to meet the growing demand for veterinary graduates and researchers in government institutions in the region but also check recurrence of some epidemics such as Foot and Month Disease (FMD) among cattle and Marek’s Disease among the poultry which have struck in Punjab in recent months, says Minister for Animal Husbandry Rattan Singh.

The project has been formulated, according to an official document, in accordance with the recommendation ofthe Standing Committee of Lok Sabha on Agriculture during 1996-97 which stated, “There should be a separate university for veterinary and animal sciences in each State which is quite independent of the agricultural universities in order to develop the research and educational facilities in this sector with a sharp focus on employment and wealth generation.”

The new university shall have two colleges of veterinary and animal sciences one each at Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo) and Ludhiana, three institutes of livestock products technology, veterinary biotechnology and fisheries, a bio-informatics and information management centre (all at Damdama Sahib), a para-veterinary training institute at Patiala, one Pashu Vigyan Kendra or animal research centre in each district of Punjab, a buffalo research centre and a dairy cattle research centre (Ludhiana), an equine research centre at Muktsar, one poultry research centre at Gurdaspur and one laboratory and zoo animal research centre which would also promoterearing of rabbit as a farm animal.

According to the project report, the present infrastructure for promotion of veterinary and animal sciences in the State at Punjab Agricultural University at Ludhiana being inadequate to meet the increasing demand, it would be merged into the proposed full-fledged university. This includes the PAU college of veterinary science, departments of animal sciences, animal nutrition and fisheries and sections of meat and milk technology in the department of food, science and technology.

The PAU college, after its merger, shall have 20 departments as compared to 12 at present and related facilities shall also be strengthened there at a total cost of Rs 6.70 crore.

Observing that animal husbandry contributes 17 per cent to Punjab’s economy as compared to 30 per cent from agriculture, the report, however, states that the former failed to get its share of the investment cake. Even at PAU, the share of investment in animal husbandry is less than 10 per cent with the result Punjabstands second in milk production and fifth in egg production in India.