The Mobile Veterinary Unit (MVU) was flagged-off jointly by the Union Cabinet Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying – Parshottam Rupala, and Nagaland Chief Minister – Neiphiu Rio at Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima on Friday.
Speaking at the function, the Union Minister noted that “the Mobile Veterinary Unit will help farmers, particularly in far-flung areas, to keep their animals healthy and bring the medical facility to their doorstep.”
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of New India, aiming to enhance the health care facility of citizens and animals reached every border of India, including Nagaland.
Rupala urged the Veterinary Department to utilize the facility to boost the animal population and noted that delivering timely treatment to animals through the mobile facility will result in better production.
“Nagaland will soon become self-sufficient in producing milk, meat, and eggs for consumption,” – he added.
Rio opined that the MVU would travel to remote areas and provide Veterinary Health Care through a single window delivery system in the form of making the diagnosis, treatment, minor surgeries, collection of samples, vaccinations, Artificial Insemination (AI) and medicines, etc.
The Chief Minister further envisaged that the induction of this vehicle unit immensely benefits the livestock farmers, especially in Nagaland, where connectivity is a constraint for providing effective and timely veterinary service.
He also encouraged the farmers and entrepreneurs to start rearing and investing in piggery dairy, fisheries, and other animal activities to increase production and to stop importing dairy and meat products from other states.
Rio also said that 70% of the population in Nagaland is dependent on agriculture and livestock. But, Nagaland still lacks the mechanism to check the health of the animals imported to the State.
Therefore, he appealed to the Veterinary Department to set up a breeding farm for pigs in every district to produce quality meat within the state. The state government could customize 16 vehicles for 12 districts, one each for Elisa Laboratory. It is likely to customize Veterinary Field Assistant Training Institute, Vaccine Bank, and State level monitoring centre.
