Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday launched the Statewide Animal Helpline, Tele-Veterinary Service and fisheries and animal husbandry mapping system of the Department of Fisheries and Animal Resource Development (F&ARD). On the occasion, the Chief Minister urged the people to be sympathetic and help stray and deserted animals.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to the protection and welfare of stray and helpless animals. In addition to helpline units in urban areas, animal ambulances and animal birth control programs are being implemented, as well as financial assistance is being given to non-governmental organizations working for this purpose.
The Statewide Animal Help Line with Toll-Free Number 1962 and 24X7 helpline facility has been launched in order to provide emergency healthcare services to stray and destitute animals in the State.
Inaugurating the tele-veterinary service, the Chief Minister said that the fisheries and animal husbandry programs have helped increase the livelihoods of the farmers of the state and the state government is implementing a number of measures to provide health care to their livestock. The tele-veterinary service system will further strengthen the program and provide immediate assistance to veterinarians, the CM added.
Eleven cities in the state have animal ambulances, and all blocks have veterinary centres. People can get this service every day from 10 AM to 5:30 PM by dialling 1962 or 155333 toll-free.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Fisheries & Animal Resources Mapping System (FARMS). Through this Web-GIS platform, one can get information on all the assets created in beneficiary-oriented schemes under the F&ARD dept. through satellite images by remote sensing. The CM said that this programme under the 5T initiatives will increase transparency and accountability.
The Odisha CM also unveiled a Coffee table book on pisciculture activities of WSHG under Mission Shakti – “Fish farming for Prosperity” of the F&ARD Department.
Today, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between F&ARD Dept., Govt. of Odisha and BAIF Livelihoods for the deployment of 1500 trained youths in the state to provide artificial insemination and basic animal health care services. Besides, an MoU has been signed with MPEDA–RGCA for setting up of state-of-art seabass and tiger shrimp seed hatchery at Gopalpur, Ganjam to boost fish production in the State.
Attending the function, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Ranendra Pratap Swain highlighted the various steps being taken by the Department in the state. He praised the Chief Minister’s vision, saying that these new programs would help increase livelihoods for livestock farmers.
Secretary to Chief Minister (5T) V.K. Pandian coordinated the event. F&ARD Dept Principal Secretary R Raghuprasad delivered the welcome address and F&ARD Dept Director delivered the vote of thanks.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary, Development Commissioner, Agricultural Production Commissioner, the Mission Shakti Commissioner-Cum-Secretary and officials from various districts.
