<p>Speaking to reporters, he said the department has already drawn up a detailed plan to launch the service, and it is presently awaiting clearance from the Finance department.<br /><br />The department wants to operate as many as 174 ambulances to attend to emergency cases related to cattle, mainly in rural areas. The department intends to tie up with a private company to run the service. <br /><br />The service is estimated to cost Rs 35 crore per year. After securing necessary clearance from the government, tenders will be called to select the private partner, the minister said. <br /><br />However, the Finance department has suggested that the service be implemented on a pilot basis in five districts namely - Gulbarga, Koppal, Bidar, Belgaum and Bellary - to gauge farmers responses. But the Department of Animal Husbandry has been insisting that it should be a State-wide service, as farmers are in dire need of the service, Belamagi said.<br /><br />Besides, the department has undertaken vaccination of all sheep and goats against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) disease, the minister said.<br /><br />Organic dairy farming<br /><br />The department has also chalked out a scheme to encourage farmers to take up organic dairy farming.</p>
<p>Speaking to reporters, he said the department has already drawn up a detailed plan to launch the service, and it is presently awaiting clearance from the Finance department.<br /><br />The department wants to operate as many as 174 ambulances to attend to emergency cases related to cattle, mainly in rural areas. The department intends to tie up with a private company to run the service. <br /><br />The service is estimated to cost Rs 35 crore per year. After securing necessary clearance from the government, tenders will be called to select the private partner, the minister said. <br /><br />However, the Finance department has suggested that the service be implemented on a pilot basis in five districts namely - Gulbarga, Koppal, Bidar, Belgaum and Bellary - to gauge farmers responses. But the Department of Animal Husbandry has been insisting that it should be a State-wide service, as farmers are in dire need of the service, Belamagi said.<br /><br />Besides, the department has undertaken vaccination of all sheep and goats against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) disease, the minister said.<br /><br />Organic dairy farming<br /><br />The department has also chalked out a scheme to encourage farmers to take up organic dairy farming.</p>
