Unemployed Vets on stir in Uttar Pradesh

Pashu Sandesh, 21 April 2018

Rising unemployment amongst Vets in the Uttar Pradesh has forced them on the warpath with the Government. Association of Unemployed Vets of UP had organized a one-day demonstration at Kanshiram Jansuvidha Parisar in Lucknow on 20^th April to press for their demands. The stir was led by the Association President Dr Abhishek Pratap Singh and Secretary Dr Deepak Singh. More than 100 unemployed Vets joined the stir.

Association has also submitted a memorandum addressed to the UP CM Yogi Adityanath demanding the immediate attention to their demands. The letter mentions the five-point demands such as

1. Employment for all the unemployed Vets.
2. As per the provisions of the budget, posting of Vets on all the 770 mobile Veterinary clinics.
3. Posting of at least 3 Veterinary doctors at the block level Veterinary Clinics to provide round the clock Veterinary facilities to the farmers.
4. As per the recommendations of the Veterinary Council of India, posting of one Veterinary doctor per 5000 cattle.
5. Fill the vacant posts at the Animal Husbandry department and create new posts by increasing the cadres at the AH department as done by other states such as Rajasthan and MP.

Uttar Pradesh Veterinary Association President Dr Sudhir Kumar, Vice President Dr Anoop Singh and Secretary Dr Anil Kumar have whole heartedly supported the stir. While talking to Pashu Sandesh Dr Anil Kumar said that since 2014 there have been no recruitment of Vets done by the UP government and as a result additional workload has to be borne by the Government Veterinary doctors while on the other hand there are more than 1200 Veterinary Doctors currently facing the crisis of unemployment.

Private players too are exploiting the situation often employing Vets with salaries not corresponding to the stature of a qualified Veterinary professional.  

On the outset demand of the Vets seems justified as the Government is desperately trying measures to double the income of the farmers by 2022 and without the revamping of existing structure of AH department it seems unlikely. Vets have a very important role to play in mission 2022 as acknowledged by the top policymakers of Government of India too.

UP government should wake up and take stock of the grim situation.