India to be rabies free country in next ten years

New Delhi July 10 (ANI): Minister of State for Environment and Forest, Jairam Ramesh said here today that India would be a rabies free country within next ten years.

Speaking after releasing a book on animal birth control, Ramesh said, government has taken up the issue of rabies control as a challenge, and allotted 200 crore rupees for the project.

Animal birth control programme for stray dogs and their effective anti-rabies immunization will be implemented seriously, Ramesh said.

Ramesh also informed that country imports rabies vaccine of worth Rs 400 crore every year.

He suggested that a rabies free road map and a mission document should be prepared which also include the over all cost, role of state governments, civic and local bodies, organizational plan etc. with a target to achieve it in 10 years time. (ANI)