Minister Hands Over ₹50,000 Cheque to Gaushala Management"
Mohali: Punjab Animal Husbandry Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian today launched a state-level free vaccination drive to prevent Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) among livestock at Gauri Shankar Sewa Dal Gaushala, Industrial Area Phase-1, Mohali.
Providing details, the Minister informed that under the 7th round of the FMD vaccination programme, the state government will vaccinate around 59 lakh cows and buffaloes free of cost to safeguard them from this contagious disease. He said that six rounds have already been completed successfully, resulting in effective prevention of FMD outbreaks in Punjab.
On this occasion, the Minister also handed over a cheque of Rs 50,000 to the Gaushala management. He said that the main objective of this campaign is to completely eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease from Punjab. The vaccination is being conducted door-to-door across the state by the staff of the Animal Husbandry Department, absolutely free of cost.
The Minister urged livestock owners to get their animals vaccinated on priority and cooperate with the department. He explained that Foot and Mouth Disease is highly contagious and affects the mouth and hooves of animals, causing blisters and a significant drop in milk production. The disease results in a nationwide loss of nearly Rs 20,000 crore annually in terms of livestock health and milk output.
S. Khuddian further informed that this campaign will be completed within 45 days, and efforts are being made to declare Punjab free from FMD soon. He said the department has been conducting this vaccination exercise continuously for the past three years to ensure the health and productivity of the state’s livestock.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Dr. Sham Singh, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry; Dr. Bhupinderpal Singh, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry; Dr. Alamdeep Kaur, Assistant Director, Animal Husbandry; Dr. Lokesh Kajal, Assistant Director, Animal Husbandry; and other officials of the department.
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