Centre to set up Rs 15k cr animal husbandry infra development fund

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday announced that the Centre will set up an animal husbandry infrastructure development fund of Rs 15,000 crore.

Speaking to the media here, Sitharaman said that many areas in the country with high milk production have great potential for private investment in the dairy sector, and the government will also support private investment in dairy processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure.

The government will also give incentives for establishing plants for export of niche products.

The announcement is part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

Further, the Minister also said that the government has also launched a National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis with a total outlay of Rs 13,343 crore.

It would ensure 100 per cent vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population in India, a total of 53 crore animals for vaccination against FMD and brucellosis.

Till date, 1.5 crore cows and buffaloes have been tagged and vaccinated.

–IANS

rrb/sn/tsb