Free helpline for cattle soon

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.

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.

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.

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.

Besides, the department has undertaken vaccination of all sheep and goats against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) disease, the minister said.

Organic dairy farming

The department has also chalked out a scheme to encourage farmers to take up organic dairy farming.