The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : 3 district dairies to be revived: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

3 district dairies to be revived: Minister

By Our Special Correspondent

ONGOLE, OCT. 24. The Minister for Animal Husbandry, G. Surya Rao, here today said that the district cooperative dairies of Rajahmundry, Chittoor and Cuddapah would be revived soon with the help of the National Dairy Development Board. He said a veterinary university would also be started soon to meet the demand for veterinary doctors in the State.

Speaking to the newspersons, the minister said that the TDP government had totally neglected dairy development leading to the closure of district milk producers cooperative union at Rajahmundry, Chittoor and Cuddapah. The Congress-I soon after coming to power took steps for their revival. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, negotiated with the NDDB officials for Rs 200 crore financial package to revived the three dairy unions.

The TDP government also did not fill up 450 veterinary doctor posts. The Congress-I government had decided to fill them up immediately.

But it could fill up only 130 posts till now for want of qualified persons. The government gave appointment orders to all the 130 veterinary science graduates even without conducting any interview. The government is agitated as it could not fill up the remaining posts. Mr Surya Rao said he had taken up the matter with the Chief Minister and appraised him of the need to start a veterinary university to produce adequate number of veterinary doctors.

The Chief Minister has agreed to earmark Rs 20 crore for starting Venkateswara Veterinary University and the government is negotiating with the UGC and the Central government to get necessary permission.

The Minister said the farmers had donated land and money and facilitated construction of 72 buildings for veterinary hospitals. There is a need for the government to post doctors to them. There are no veterinary doctors available in as many as 44 mandal headquarter hospitals. Mr Surya Rao said even attender played a crucial role in providing veterinary aid to animals.

The TDP government had abolished 500 attender posts severely affecting the services in the veterinary hospitals. The government now wants to revive these posts soon and fill them up.

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Andhra Pradesh