ITANAGAR, Jun 24: Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development (AHVDD) Minister Gabriel D Wangsu has stressed the importance of accurate ground-level data and directed officers to take livestock census activities seriously, stating that incorrect reporting often leads to poor planning and implementation.
The Minister laid this stress while chairing a DVOs Conference-cum-Chintan Baithak, organized by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development (AHV&DD) at Pare Hall, DK Convention Centre here today.
In his address, Wangsu, who also holds the portfolios of Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Food & Civil Supplies and Legal Metrology, highlighted the immense potential of the animal husbandry sector as a major source of employment generation in the state.
He stressed the need to identify genuine and trained farmers to ensure that government assistance reaches deserving beneficiaries. He said the department must continue handholding and monitoring trained aspirants even after completion of training programmes.
Highlighting infrastructure development as a priority area, the Minister observed that excessive expenditure on renovation and maintenance of old structures often results in inefficient use of resources. He assured officers that he would work towards securing adequate funds for new infrastructure development and announced that well-performing districts would receive priority support from the government.
He urged officers to maintain clarity in their work and communication, stating that departmental personnel must be well-informed and confident to effectively guide farmers. Referring to the State’s socio-cultural context, he noted that dairy farming remains a relatively new concept for many tribal communities, making awareness and motivation efforts even more important.
“This is not the old Animal Husbandry Department. We need to renew it with renewed determination,” Wangsu said, while reiterating the importance of motivating youth participation in the sector and filling critical gaps within the department.
The Minister also called for innovative and out-of-the-box approaches to sectoral development. He advised against establishing new veterinary dispensaries and facilities in areas where they are not required and directed officers to identify locations lacking suitable land for such establishments.
Wangsu further stressed the need to encourage trained youths and progressive farmers to form Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS), describing them as key drivers for expanding dairy-based livelihoods. He also highlighted the importance of fodder development and directed officers to earmark adequate land for fodder cultivation. Informing the gathering that a State fodder policy would be drafted soon, he said ensuring sufficient fodder resources would be crucial for the growth of the livestock sector.
MLA and Advisor to the Minister, Talem Taboh expressed concern over the encroachment of departmental land by private individuals. He advised the department to utilise its available land resources effectively to prevent future encroachments. He further suggested constituting committees headed by the respective ADCs, with departmental officers as members, to address land-related issues.
Taboh also proposed that youths trained under the “Catch Them Young” initiative should be linked with government support schemes such as Atmanirbhar Yojana.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary AHV&DD YVVJ Rajshekhar stressed the need for preparing modern and practical Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). Referring to issues raised during the presentations, he said the challenges faced by the department were not insurmountable and noted that significant progress had been achieved in recent months. He also called for close coordination with district administrations to resolve cases of land encroachment on departmental properties.
The day-long deliberation was also attended by Director AHV&DD Dr Danjan Longri, Jt Directors Dr Taba Heli & Dr Talo Taggu; District Veterinary Officers (DVOs) and nodal officers from across the State.
The event began with a detailed presentation by Secretary Rajshekhar, followed by district-wise presentations by DVOs and nodal officers on the performance of their respective districts, including manpower availability, infrastructure status and key challenges.