LAHORE:Caretaker Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce SM Tanveer and Provincial Excise Minister Bilal Afzal inspected various sections of the Veterinary Research Institute and planted saplings, here on Monday.
During the visit, both the ministers were also briefed about the departmental activities aimed at supporting the livestock sector in the province; roadmap for vaccination, disease control and nutrition of cattle, and their breed improvement.
The ministers expressed satisfaction over the Livestock and Dairy Development Department’s performance and acknowledged that the 1192 virtual governance and disease reporting & surveillance systems served as practical evidence of the department’s innovation and management skills.
They emphasized the importance of progress at the departmental level to enhance milk and meat production. They advised the department to adhere to the comprehensive roadmap in this regard, assuring that government would provide the necessary support.
Provincial Minister SM Tanveer said that livestock sector was a government priority in terms of fostering economic prosperity and reducing poverty. He stressed the need to increase local production of raw materials to stabilize poultry prices. Furthermore, he mentioned that implementing a corporate model in the livestock sector, as part of the long-term action plan, would be a game-changer.
Provincial Minister Bilal Afzal said that the trust placed by cattlemen in the livestock department was its success. He added that the Livestock Department’s service delivery was a model for other departments.
Secretary Livestock Masood Anwar said that a recommendation for approval of national plan to control foot-and-mouth disease was being forwarded to the cabinet. He said that there was a dire need to increase vaccine production capacity, besides expanding the scope of mobile veterinary dispensaries to facilities the livestock farmers at their doorstep.
The meeting was also attended by relevant officers.