The State government has earmarked a sum of ₹329.64 crore in its 2022-2023 Budget to give a fillip to the Animal Husbandry sector in the State.
Presenting the Budget on Friday, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said the allocation was ₹91.33 crore more than the amount in the previous year.
A three-tier health-care system was being envisaged to improve the standards of the Animal Husbandry sector, Mr. Balagopal said. District veterinary centres and the multispecialty veterinary hospital at Kudappanakkunnu, Thiruvananthapuram, would act as the district-level referral units. Veterinary polyclinics would function at the taluk level and veterinary hospitals at the panchayat level, he said. A sum of ₹34 crore has been set apart for the purpose.
Emergency services
A sum of ₹9.80 crore has been allocated for the scheme for providing emergency veterinary services at the farmers’ doorstep at night as well.
An amount of ₹7.5 crore has been set apart for the Poultry Development Corporation, with the aim of attaining self-sufficiency in production as well as consumption of eggs and meat in the State. A sum of ₹40.22 crore has been earmarked for the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation. Of this, ₹32.72 crore will be utilised for materialising a milk powder production centre at Moorkkanadu in Malappuram district with the help of the RIDF scheme.
