‘A-HELP’ programme launched in J&K

Pashu Sandesh, 11 October 2022 

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched the ‘A-HELP’ (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) programme and Mobile Veterinary Unit scheme in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir  0n 11^th of October 2022. They flagged off the fleet of Mobile Veterinary Units to mark the occasion.

Union Minister Rupala, who presided over the launch ceremony, congratulated the J&K government and the people of J&K on beginning a new era in the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Healthcare sector and becoming the first union territory to launch the Mobile Veterinary Unit scheme. He said that the ‘A-HELP’ programme and Mobile Veterinary Unit scheme would increase the accessibility of veterinary services at the farmers’ doorsteps while empowering the Pashu Sakhis.

Addressing the gathering, LG Sinha said, “The new initiative would play a significant role in vaccination, breeding, and livestock extension programmes,”. He said “Now the veterinary hospital is just a call away. Dairy farmers can dial 1962 on the phone and a mobile veterinary unit equipped with state-of-the-art veterinary diagnostic and treatment accessories, a qualified veterinarian, a para-vet, will be at their doorstep.”

On this occasion, Union Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Rajesh Kumar Singh said that the A-HELP programme and Mobile Veterinary Unit scheme would provide a paradigm shift in the veterinary healthcare services in J&K. He shared the vision of the Centre to bring transformational change in the animal husbandry and dairy sectors and encourage entrepreneurship-led development.

Joint Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Upamanyu Basu gave detailed information regarding the newly-launched A-HELP programme and Mobile Veterinary Unit schemes.

Arif Bashir threw light on the past, present, and future of the dairy sector of J&K.