SHILLONG, MAR 7: Minister in-charge Animal Husbandry & Veterinary department Sanbor Shullai on Monday said the department is setting up check posts at various entry/exit points of the state for checking of vehicle carrying cattle and verification of transit permits in order to prevent unauthorized transportation of cattle as well as to detect smuggling of cattle.
The check posts will also be set up at Byrnihat, Jirang, Umkiang, Bajengdoba, Tikrikila, Aradong and Pynursla, Shullai said while replying to a short duration discussion moved by AITC legislator from Umroi George B Lyngdoh in the Assembly.
Lyngdoh, while expressing concern over rampant cattle smuggling, alleged the state government of helping the BJP to achieve its hidden agenda to stop beef eating in Meghalaya.
He said that a series of meetings were held with associations, societies, cattle traders of the state to create awareness on legal provisions related to cattle transportation and requirement to obtain transit permits from the department.
It was also informed to the traders to bring to the notice of the department if they face any hurdles in transportation of cattle through Assam.
“However, the department has not received any complaints from those obtained permits regarding hurdles faced by them while transporting cattle through Assam,” he said.
Stating that the state government has taken up several measures to facilitate hassle free transport of cattle from other states through Assam and also to make state self-sufficient, Shullai said that the department will constantly monitor the issue and necessary interventions will be made if genuine cattle traders face any hurdle in transportation of cattle to Meghalaya.
It may be noted that the Assam government had enacted the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021.
On the several interventions of the government to make the state self-sufficient in beef production, the minister said that the department has introduced 6 Ongole bulls on experimental basis to study the suitability to the state’s weather conditions.
These ongole bulls are housed at ICDP, Upper Shillong and they are well adopted to the local conditions.
“With this success, we have procured 2,000 ongole bulls semen straws from Andhra Pradesh for artificial insemination of local cattle population to increase productivity and population of local cattle,” he said.
“With the introduction of ongole bulls and other exotic breed bulls and semen straws in our state, I am very sure that our state will achieve self-reliance in beef production in a short span of time,” he added.
The minister further informed that the government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 2 crore for encouraging local farmers to expand artificial insemination exercise in about 2 lakhs local cows using semen of improved and exotic breed.
This will increase the population of local cattle and improve the milk yield and productivity.
With these interventions, the existing cattle population of the state which is about 9.5 lakhs as per the 2019 livestock census would be increased to at least 15 lakhs in a short span of time so that the state will achieve self-reliance in beef production, he added.
The total consumption of beef in the state during 2020-21 is approximately 26,000 tonnes.
Out of which beef produced domestically within the state is approximately 10,000 tonnes and about 60% of the beef requirement in the state is met through import from other states.
By Our Reporter
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