About 250-300 cattle and 400-400 pigs are slaughtered on a weekly basis in Mizoram even as the State is far from meeting its requirement of meat. The amount of money flowing out of Mizoram for importing cattle per year is calculated to be Rs 32 crores, the department source said today.
Even as three truck trips of eggs are imported weekly from Andhra Pradesh and Delhi, Mizoram requires 1,200 lakh more eggs a year to meet its demand. Animal husbandry in Mizoram accounts for only 17 per cent of the Gross Stae Domestic Product (GSDP) whereas the same contributes 32 per cent of the GDP.
It has emerged as the most important sector in New Land Use Policy (NLUP), the Mizoram governments flagship programme, to transform the states economy as 60 per cent of the policys stakeholders have opted for animal rearing. The NLUP veterinary sector was launched by the State Home Minister R Lalzirliana at the AH& Veterinary farm complex at Selesih near here on Friday. “The basic objective of NLUP veterinary sector is to make Mizoram self-sufficient in meet, milk and eggs,” a statement of the department said. Doctors and staff of the department were sensitised to the programmes of the NLUP which they will further impart to the beneficiaries.
“The government wants to ensure the success of the flagship policy. It wants to ensure that the beneficiaries use the money for the right purpose,” member-secretary of State Planning Board and Vice-chairman of NLUP apex board PL Thanga said.
“It is crucial that the beneficiaries focus on their projects instead of the money,” he pointed out. The NLUP aims to help farmers move away from the traditional slash-and-burn method of cultivation, on which about 80 per cent of the States farmers still depend, to more sustainable land-based means of livelihood.
The Rs 2,527-crore eco-friendly project in the first five years aims to support 1,20,000 families involving the departments of agriculture, horticulture, veterinary, industries, forest, fisheries, sericulture and soil and water conservation. “The NLUP intends to keep 60 per cent of the States total geographical area under forest cover and the remaining 40 per cent for land-based development,” officials said. (UNI)
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