Cabinet Approves Livestock Health Scheme With Rs. 3,880 Crore Outlay

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the revision of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) with a financial allocation of Rs. 3,880 crore.

The scheme will be implemented over two years, covering 2024-25 and 2025-26.

As part of the revision, the programme now includes two key components:

• The National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), and
• Livestock Health & Disease Control (LH&DC)

Additionally, a new component, Pashu Aushadhi, has been introduced.

According to the Cabinet statement, “LHDC has three sub-components that is, Critical Animal Disease Control Programme (CADCP), Establishment and Strengthening of existing Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries – Mobile Veterinary Unit (ESVHD-MVU), and Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD). The Pashu Aushadhi is a new component added to the LHDCP scheme.”

“The total outlay of the scheme is Rs.3,880 crore for two years that is, 2024-25 and 2025-26, which includes provision of Rs. 75 crore to provide good quality and affordable generic veterinary medicine and incentive for the sale of medicines under Pashu Aushadhi component,” it further added.

The initiative is designed to enhance livestock productivity by mitigating the impact of diseases such as foot and mouth disease (FMD), brucellosis, peste des petits ruminants (PPR), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and lumpy skin disease.

The cabinet noted, “Implementation of the LHDCP will facilitate a reduction in these losses by preventing diseases through immunisation.”

Mobile veterinary units (ESVHD-MVU) will play a key role in delivering doorstep healthcare services to livestock.

Additionally, Pashu Aushadhi will improve the availability of veterinary medicines through PM-Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and Cooperative Societies.

The Cabinet highlighted that the programme will:

• Contribute to disease prevention,
• Enhance livestock productivity,
• Create rural employment opportunities,
• Promote entrepreneurship,
• Ultimately reduce the financial burden on farmers.

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