CM chairs meeting about checking smuggling of livestock and steps for dairy development KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said that the provincial government has decided to take effective measures for prevention of cattle smuggling, saying the country especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is facing enough economic pressure due to it. He was presiding over a meeting regarding the Livestock Department, prevention of cattle smuggling and development targets here at CM Secretariat Peshawar. Besides Advisor to CM on Livestock & Cooperatives Mohibullah Khan, Chief Secretary Amjad Ali Khan, Principal Secretary to CM Mohammad Ishfaq Khan, Secretary Livestock Mohammad Hamayun Khan, Director General Research Dr. Ghufranullah, Registrar Cooperatives Ajmal Khan, other authorities also attended the meeting. The Chief Minister clarified that result-oriented measures should be taken with active cooperation of provincial, federal agencies and political administration. Furthermore, more recommendations and proposals would also be sought for bringing improvement in situation and if required more legislation would also be made in this regard. He expressed the hope that the enforcement of proposed Whistle Blow Act would bring further improvement and due to 25% reward money, the people themselves would inform the government against the smugglers. The Chief Minister expressed sorrow that due to thousand kilometer long borders adjacent with FATA and then forward Afghan border, the cattle were mostly smuggled through non-traditional routes. Therefore, he said, the decision of PHC regarding the confiscation of cattle on such routes would be implemented strictly. For this purpose, he said a comprehensive network of intelligence should be streamlined. About a scheme of Rs. 120 million for the establishment of Azikhel White Buffalos Farm at Swat and enhancement of the production of D.I.Khan Farm and Achai Farm Dir Lower and a scheme of Rs.350 million for the strengthening of 30 animal husbandry hospitals and establishment of 170 new animal dispensaries, he asked to convene a meeting in the chairmanship of Chief Secretary to thoroughly review the utilities of these schemes. The Chief Minister while agreeing in principle with a scheme of Transhumant Livestock Production System costing Rs.150 million, also directed its inclusion in the agenda of the meeting and said that due to the system 7600 cattle holder pastoralist families of the province would be included in agricultural community for the first time who otherwise contribute 30% of the dairy needs of the people. He said that each pastoralist family has 250 to 300 cattle including top quality milk producing animals so these transhumant of Hazara and Malakand use to take the herds of their cattle in winter to plain areas and in summer to mountainous and cold areas. Under the scheme stay centres would be established on Pilot basis on their important routes from Naran to Haripur and from Kalam to Buner where the facilities of shades for night stay, a dip pool for prevention of cattle diseases and doctors would be available for 24-hour where the facility of modern machines for getting and selling of wool would also be available. He said that besides extending unprecedented financial benefits to cattle holding pastoralists and improvement in ecosystem and biodiversity, Congo and other diseases would also be prevented. The Chief Minister directed the authorities of the Department of Livestock, Dairy Development and Agriculture to concentrate on increase in production. He said that development schemes in these sectors besides bringing maximum increase in the production of agricultural and dairy products would also generate new and profitable employment opportunities for the people. The Chief Minister directed the department for preparation of comprehensive schemes so they could be included in the annual development program. However, he warned that those departments and organizations showing failure in showing performance would not be given further funds. In response to a request for the restoration of Cooperative Bank, the chief minister presently stressed need for more work on its utility while for immediate steps the govt has decided the provision of micro-credits to the farmers through the Bank of Khyber for which a fund of Rs.1 billion has been allocated and the provincial government has already released an amount of Rs.800 million to the department in this regard. The Chief Minister said that it would be better for the department to introduce scheme for operating tube-wells on solar energy so the farming community take benefits of the loans in real sense.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 10:04:05 +0000
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