Fodder movement out of K'taka banned

Mysore, Jan 19 (UNI) The Karnataka Government has banned fodder transportation out of the State following the drought situation prevailing in the State, Animal Husbandry Minister Revu Nayak Belamgi said today.

Addressing newspersons here, he said 128 taluks in the state have been declared as drought-prone and nearly 1.35 crore metric tonnes of fodder was available for feeding 1.7 crore animals.

The Government had stocked 124 lakh MT of fodder enough for the next 25 weeks, he added.

He said the Government would soon issue an order to open private veterinary colleges following shortage of veterinary doctors. The University of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries at Bidar would invite applications from next month. Presently, 130 students were studying in the three Government colleges in the State, he said.

Stating that the Government would introduce an insurance scheme for cattle from February, he said the scheme would be implemented in Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Kolar and Mandya districts on an experimental basis. Based on the success of the scheme, it would be extended to other parts of the State. Each cattle would be insured for Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 and 50 per cent of the amount should be paid by the beneficaries. The Centre had released Rs 1.43 crore for the purpose.

He said as per the Dr Nanjundappa report on regional imbalance, 69 veterinary hospitals would be opened in the backward and most backward areas of the State for which Rs eight crore had been earmarked. As many as 133 new veterinary doctors would be appointed shortly and the appointment of 300 veterinary inspectors would be taken up soon as the Government had approved it.

UNI