Toll free Animal Helpline Number 1962 for all Mobile Vet services in Karnataka

Pashu Sandesh, 11 May 2022

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on 8th May inaugurated Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) in Karnataka to provide veterinary services at the farmer’s doorstep based on the phone calls received at the Call Centre from the farmers. Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Chief Minister and Prabhu B Chavan, Karnataka Minister for Animal Husbandry also graced the inauguration event.

The overall aim of the ‘Livestock Health & Disease Control programme’ of the Government of India is to improve animal health by way of implementing prophylactic vaccination programmes against various diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity building, disease surveillance and strengthening of veterinary infrastructure.

Rupala during the inauguration event yesterday announced that in order to increase the accessibility of veterinary services at farmer’s doorsteps, funds for Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) will be provided to the States/UTs under this scheme @ 1 MVU for every one lakh livestock population. These MVUs will be customized fabricated vehicles for veterinary healthcare with equipment for diagnosis, treatment & minor surgery, audiovisual aids and other basic requirements for the treatment of animals.

The Minister said that this is the best programme to assist farmers and dairy owners to take care of the health of their dairy animals at the right time and to double the farmers' income thereby uplifting their economic status by utilizing these Mobile Veterinary Vehicles in the right manner.   

The Minister urged the farmer’s community and dairy owners and each and everyone who was involved in dairy activities to utilize the 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles for all the veterinary services by calling Toll free Animal Helpline Number 1962.

The Call Centre would function as the pivot whilst rendering the mobile veterinary services. It should receive calls from livestock rearers/animal owners and transmit them to the Veterinary doctor at the Call Centre. The decision of directing the MVU would be on the emergent nature of the veterinary case as decided by the Veterinary doctor at the Call Centre. The Call Centre should also confirm actual services through the UID and mobile number of the animal owner and share the data with the State concerned.

Karnataka State has been sanctioned with 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles against 289 lakh animal population, which will operate throughout the State by Public-Private Partnership. Rs 44.00 crores has been sanctioned to procure 275 new veterinary services fabricated vehicles @ Rs 16.00lakhs per vehicle. The remaining 15 already existing Pashu sanjivini vans will be utilized to match up 290 required vehicles.

The operationalization cost per vehicle is 18.72 lakhs per year which is about Rs 54.75 crore will be borne by the Central and state government in a 60:40 ratio. Each vehicle has a Veterinary Doctor, Livestock Inspector and Driver cum attendant and has the facility of medicines, audiovisual screen for extension activities, siren and many more for the need. The government of India will release Rs 32.57 crore for operationalization cost for 290 vehicles and the remaining Rs 28.15 crore has to be borne by State Government. 

Information about the scheme:

Establishment & Strengthening of Veterinary Hospitals & Dispensaries – Mobile Veterinary Units (ESVHD-MVUs):  The component “ESVHFD-MVU” under Central Sector Scheme “Livestock Health & Disease Control” provides veterinary health services at farmers’ door-steps through Mobile Veterinary Units. The services are to be operated through Call Centers in the State/UTs, the farmers in case of any emergency will make calls to these call centres and after prioritizing the emergencies, the services for diagnosis and treatment will be provided by a team of veterinarians & Para-veterinarian in these Mobile Veterinary Units.