Haryana mulls University of Animal and Rural Sciences

Chandigarh, Sep 11 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said the state government would consider setting up of a University of Animal and Rural Sciences to further improve the quality of livestok and NABARD would provide over Rs 600 crore to improve breed of Murrah bufalloes in the state.

The Chief Minister stated this while speaking at a function organised in his honour by the Haryana State Veterinary Association in Panchkula near here.

He said although Haryana ranked number two in milk production in the country, efforts would be made to further enhance the production of milk and Haryana would be made another Denmark.

''I have a dream to make Haryana the number one state in all spheres of development and even in milk production, it will be number one'', he added.

The Chief Minister said the government had got 940 buildings of veterinary institutions repaired during the last two years and another 340 buildings would be undertaken for repair.

Mr Hooda said either 198 new veterinary institutions were opened or upgraded in the year 2005-06 and there was a proposal to either upgrade or open 340 more veterinary institutions during the current financial year.

He said that with a view of promoting the breed of Murrah buffaloes, which was already in demand within the country and abroad, the NABARD would provide more than Rs 600 crore to the state government to improve this breed.

He said that the state government has already introduced an insurance scheme for livestock under which the cattle breeders had to pay only 25 per cent of the premium and the remaining 75 per cent was being paid by the government.

UNI