Gehlot inaugurates free veterinary medicines scheme

To ensure timely treatment to cattle, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday launched a scheme under which 87 types of veterinary drugs and 13 surgical consumables will be available free of cost in state hospitals starting August 15.

Gehlot inaugurated the ‘free generic veterinary medicines scheme’ at a function here. “We want to ensure that like humans, cattle also get timely and better treatment.

Sometimes, due to poor financial conditions, farmers find it difficult to get treatment and medicines for cattle,” he said.

“But now the situation will improve with this scheme,” he added. He said the animal husbandry sector is a priority for his government.

“The results of the scheme will be beyond imagination as people will be able to get free medicines for cattle across the state,” he said. Haryana’s contribution of livestock in the state’s Gross Domestic Product is eight per cent.

“The state is home to 11 per cent of the country’s livestock population, and 13 per cent of milk production in India is from Haryana. We must focus on this sector,” he said.

State agriculture and animal husbandry minister Harjiram Burdak, minister of state for animal husbandry Vinod Kumar and at least 600 farmers from 18 districts were present.