**Summary:**
On July 23, 2025, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, led by Minister of State Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, conducted a virtual awareness program targeting livestock farmers across Northern and North-Eastern states, and Bihar. The initiative reached over 2 lakh farmers via 4,000 Common Service Centers (CSCs) spanning 16 States and Union Territories: Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and Ladakh.
The program emphasized leveraging government schemes, modern technologies (artificial insemination, genomic selection, biosecurity, and AHD Kisan Credit Card), and transitioning livestock cooperatives into the organized sector to boost rural livelihoods and efficiency. Prof. Baghel highlighted India's contribution to 25% of global milk production and stressed the importance of breed improvement and vaccination, particularly against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) under the FMD-Mukt Bharat initiative, which has administered over 100 crore doses.
Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, affirmed the department's commitment to direct service delivery, focusing on last-mile connectivity in the Northeast and highlighting untapped potential in hilly regions. Additional Secretary, DAHD, Ms. Varsha Joshi, advocated for advanced breeding technologies like Sex-Sorted Semen and IVF. The program incorporated expert-led sessions and informative videos to enhance livestock productivity. This initiative is part of DAHD’s ongoing efforts to boost awareness in the livestock and dairy sector.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry Dairying: The central government ministry responsible for policies related to fisheries, animal husbandry, and dairying.
Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel: Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry Dairying and Panchayati Raj, chaired the Virtual Awareness Program.
Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying DAHD: A department within the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
Bihar: One of the states where the awareness program targeted livestock farmers.
Uttar Pradesh: One of the states where the awareness program targeted livestock farmers.
AHD Kisan Credit Card KCC: A government scheme to provide credit to livestock farmers.
Foot and Mouth Disease FMD: A disease affecting livestock, against which vaccination efforts are being undertaken.
FMDMukt Bharat: An initiative focused on eradicating Foot and Mouth Disease in India.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Over 2 Lakh Livestock Farmers Join Virtual
Awareness Drive Chaired by MoS Prof. S.P. Singh
Baghel, Across 16 States/ UTs
“Organized Cooperatives Will Boost Efficiency; Adopt
AHD KCC to Maximize Livestock Potential” Says
Prof. Baghel
Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 8:05PM by PIB Delhi
Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj,
chaired a Virtual Awareness Program on July 23, 2025, aimed at livestock farmers across Northern, North-
Eastern states and Bihar. The program was conducted via Common Service Centres (CSCs), enabling wide
participation. Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD),
Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary, DAHD, along with other officers of the department also attended the
session. The program saw enthusiastic participation from over 2 lakh livestock farmers, connected through
4,000 CSC locations across 16 States and Union Territories, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana,
Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and Ladakh.
In his address Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, reaffirmed the government’s focus on boosting rural livelihoods
through livestock entrepreneurship. Addressing farmers, he urged them to take full advantage of government
schemes and adopt modern technologies such as artificial insemination, genomic selection, biosecurity
measures, and the AHD Kisan Credit Card (KCC). Highlighting that India contributes 25% of the world’s
milk production, he emphasized the sector's potential for sustainable rural income. Prof. Baghel also noted
the government's push to transition livestock cooperatives into the organized sector for greater
efficiency. The Minister of State stressed upon the significance of breed improvement and robust vaccination
efforts, especially against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), with over 100 crore doses administered under the
FMD-Mukt Bharat initiative so far. During his interaction, he encouraged farmers to apply their knowledgefrom government programs to ensure holistic growth of the animal husbandry sector as well as the rural
economy.
Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, highlighted the department’s commitment to delivering services directly to farmers,
with a special focus on last-mile connectivity and outreach in the North-East. She pointed to the untapped
potential in the hilly regions for livestock and dairy development, urging local communities to leverage their
natural advantages. During the interaction, Ms. Varsha Joshi underscored the need to adopt advanced
breeding technologies like Sex-Sorted Semen and IVF, encouraging them to embrace science-led productivity
improvements.
The awareness program featured expert-led sessions and informative videos on enhancing livestock
productivity through modern technologies and support schemes. It served as a platform for knowledge
sharing, policy awareness, and promoting entrepreneurship, highlighting the vital role of livestock farmers in
rural development. This initiative is part of DAHD’s ongoing efforts to boost awareness in the livestock and
dairy sector by leveraging digital platforms and directly engaging with farmers across the country.
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Aditi Agrawal
(Release ID: 2147526)