The Hindu Business Line : Five more vet polytechnics from next month in AP

FIVE more veterinary polytechnics will become functional in the State from next month in the districts of Vizianagaram, West Godavari, Mahbubnagar, Karimnagar and Anantapur.

There is already one at Chittoor, according to the Animal Husbandry Minister, Mr G. Surya Rao.

He said at a press meet here on Monday that there was dearth of trained veterinary personnel in the State and therefore the Government was giving priority to setting up such technical institutes.

"We have set up the Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University in Tirupati to promote research in veterinary sciences. At present, 170 veterinary students are graduating from the three colleges in the State. We have submitted a petition to the Indian Veterinary Council to increase the number of seats in the colleges by 250," he said.

During the past 14 months, after the Congress Government assumed charge in the State, 205 veterinary doctors had been appointed, he said. There were still 350 or so vacancies.

Some of the retired veterinary doctors were also being appointed on a contract basis. In addition, some 600 students, who had passed the intermediate exam, were being imparted training in veterinary care.

They would be appointed as vet assistants, he said. Expressing the hope that these steps would go a long way in facilitating dairy development, the Minister said that in each district women and rural youth would be encouraged to set up mini dairies.

"Our objective is to develop dairying as a supplementary activity to raise rural income levels and boost milk production, both in terms of quantity and quality," he said.

Answering a question on the sick co-operative dairies such as Rajahmundry, he said the Government was committed to reviving them and the necessary steps would be initiated.

However, he did not specifically state what measures would be taken.

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