Over 11 Lakh AI done under Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme for Breed Improvement in 2019
The Government launched a new scheme National Animal Disease Control Programme for FMD and Brucellosis with a financial outlay of Rs. 13,343.00 crore for five years i.e. 2019-20 to 2023-24 by vaccinating 100% cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat & pig population for FMD and 100% bovine female calves of 4-8 months of age for brucellosis to prevent loss of Rs. 50,000 crore to the Government exchequer and also to increase the economic output of farmers. The mission mode approach for annihilation of these diseases is the biggest step any country has ever taken either for human or animal vaccination programme to control any disease. This programme combined with providing unique Pashu Aadhaar to 535 million animals.
Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP)-Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme for 20,000 bovine / district for 600 districts in the country was recently launched by government in September, 2019 which is one of the largest such programmes with 100% central assistance for undertaking breed improvement. In future, this will be expanded across all the breedable bovine population of 600 districts so that India achieves 70 percent AI coverage.
Centre to Create 1 Lakh-tonne Buffer Stock to Tackle Onion Crisis in 2020
To manage the huge onion crisis that created lots of hue and cry across the nation last year, the central government has decided to create a buffer stock of 1 lakh tonnes of the key kitchen staple in 2020, said a senior government official. As per reports, the government had created a buffer stock of 56,000 tonnes for the current year. But reports claimed that it was not sufficient to contain the prices which are still ruling above ₹100 a kg in most cities. As a result, the government has been compelled to import via State-run MMTC.
Cooperative Nafed, which had maintained the buffer stock of onion on behalf of the government, will continue to do so next year. It will source the rabi (winter) onion crop — which has a longer shelf-life — between March and July directly from farmers, the official added.
Last year, onion prices witnessed a sudden hike due to a 26 percent drop in Kharif and late Kharif (summer) production due to the late monsoon and later untimely rains in key growing states like Maharashtra and Karnataka.
FSSAI will Spend Rs 20 Crore to Procure Rapid Food Testing Kits & Devices
The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India or FSSAI will invest over Rs 20 crore to get rapid food testing kits or devices for state-level field officers across the country. So far, FSSAI has approved thirty rapid food testing kits as well as devices under the recently finalized regulations for sanction of these items & methods that intend to strengthen the food testing ecosystem in India.
But interestingly, only 2 out of 30 rapid kits & devices are indigenously manufactured while the rest are imported, despite several research and scientific institutions in India are engaged in development of such kits & devices.
CEO of FSSAI, Pawan Agarwal said, “Food Safety & Standards Authority of India has initiated steps so that indigenously developed devices & kits are validated & approved under its regulations on a fast track basis. We would spend over Rs. 20 crore & procure rapid food testing kits and devices”.
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