New Delhi, Sept 13 : Union Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday asked the State Government to substantially increase spending on the animal husbandry and dairy sector for fast growth and to rid this sector of its ills. 

While inaugurating the Conference of State Ministers of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development here, Pawar stated that though big funds are available under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) and the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development (NABARD), States have not been using these funds for this sector, resulting in many problems such as poor quality of breeds, animal diseases and non-availability of fodder. 

He further said that out of the RKVY funds allocated in 2007-08, only 13 per cent has gone to this sector, and out of the RIDF funds, a meagre 0.48 per cent is used by states for animal husbandry and dairying.

Even under the Prime Minister’s relief package to suicide prone states, only Rs. 124.66 crore have so far been utilized by states out of Rs. 510.79 crore allocated for animal husbandry sector. 

Pawar also called upon the state ministers to try to finalise the National Livestock Policy in today’s conference. (ANI)