Adarsh Gram Scheme:---                               

The State of Punjab is primarily an agricultural State where the main stay of rural masses is agriculture and allied enterprises.  The total area of the State is 50362 sq. Kms, which has been divided into 4 divisions, 17 districts, 72 sub divisions and  140 blocks. It comprises of 12729 villages and 157 towns. 

            India used to be deficit in foodgrains and lot of it used to be imported to meet the domestic requirements but with the setting up of Punjab Agricultural University, green revolution ushered in and Punjab became a granary of India from a deficit State.  With the passage of time, the agricultural production reached a plateau.  Thus the Punjab Government had then set up a committee (Johl Committee) to propose the diversification of Agriculture to enhance the economy of the farmer.  Animal Husbandry was proposed as one of the areas for diversification by this committee.  The stage is now ripe to implement the decision of that committee and fresh report on diversification of agriculture (Animal Husbandry Part) to give thrust to animal husbandry  sector to improve economy of farmers which has started sagging due to progressive decrease in the returns from agriculture.  It is all the more important when our soil is getting depleted in essential micronutrients which is adversely affecting the crop productivity and subsequently likely to affect the livestock and human health.  The use of organic manure of animal origin is all the more important for the soil, livestock and human health.  The importance of animal husbandry, which has particular relevance to our State with its vast upgraded animal resources and rural base, is yet to be fully exploited and realized.

            Animal husbandry alone contributes 17% to the economy of the State against 30% from agriculture although the proportionate investment in agriculture is much more than animal husbandry.  The contribution of this sector to the economy has been progressively increasing over the previous two plan periods whereas the one from agriculture has declined.  It has attracted the attention of all those who are engaged directly or indirectly in the livestock development of the State.  There is a definite scope to augment the contribution of this sector by adopting modern techniques for increasing livestock production.

            The returns from agriculture per unit of investment are not that remunerative as from activities allied to agriculture, such as dairying, poultry and fisheries etc.etc. Therefore, it is proposed to strengthen and push up these activities to raise the economic standards of our rural masses so also the economy of the State.                                                           

(I)        PRESENT STATUS.

      Livestock Population:

      The livestock population during the year 2001-2002.

      Particulars.                           In lacs.(projected).

      Buffalo                                   66.46

      Cattle.                                                28.31

      Pigs.                                       1.28

      Sheep                                     4.44

      Others livestock.                 4.60__

Total                                       105.09

(a)Dairy Development.

            Milk in Punjab comes mainly from cows and buffaloes.  During the year 1973-74, the milk production in the State was to the tune of 2100 thousand tones.  With the import of exotic dairy animals, high quality semen and better health care provided by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Punjab, the milk production was pushed upto 7930 thousand tones during the year 2001-02 registering more than three-fold increase over what it was during the year 1973-74.   The per capita availability of milk in the State is 887 grams against 223 grams at the national level.  The lactation yield, which was less than 1000 litres in a Desi cow was pushed up to 2700 litres in crossbreds.  Similarly through selective breeding, the lactation yield of buffaloes, which was earlier of the order of 1200 litres per lactation has now jumped to 1800 litres per lactation.  It is pertinent to mention here that the average milk production in dairy advanced countries of the world varies from 5000 litres to 10000 litres per animal per lactation indicating a wide scope for further improvement in our dairy animals.

(b)Poultry Development.

Poultry rearing, which earlier was backyard subsistance farming system with only economically weaker sections of the society, has now been established a full-fledged commercially viable industry.  The per capita availability of eggs in the State is 121 eggs against the availability of 31 eggs at the national level annually.  The broiler production has also increased from 10.00 lac during the year 1980-81 to 2.64 crores annually during the year 2001-02. Although there has been tremendous development in the sector yet minimum individual protein needs have not been fully met with. Thus there is a great need to put in concerted efforts to further augment dairy and poultry production, which is             possible only by providing quality inputs and better market within and outside the country.

©Sheep, Piggery and Fish Production.

            Special attention has also to be given to shepherds  and sheep production so that this poor section of the society continues earning its livelihood.  10.61 Lac Kg. of wool is annually produced.  Both mutton and wool production would be pushed up by genetic upgradation of the present stock and by providing suitable health cover, including deworming and dipping of sheep.

The department is engaged in producing quality piglets of imported breeds at its farms to upgrade our indigenous stock, which activity would be pushed up alongwith the overall development of piggery in the State.   1910 piglets are annually produced at Government Pig Breeding Farms for upgradation of indigenous stock. 

 Total fish production in the State is  58023.22 tonnes whereas per hectare yield is 5097 Kg., which would further be increased.  The returns from acqua-culture in the State of Punjab has been quite remunerative and this sector also deserves special attention, which would go a long way in raising the standards of our rural masses, who are feeling disgusted with agriculture.  

(II) WTO AND GATT AGREEMENT.

            With the enforcement of WTO and GATT in India, the international trade has been liberalized.  Secondly the element of competition and quality has come in.  Our animals will have to be further upgraded genetically and their genetic potential shall have to be exploited  in view of the adoption of good management practices, balanced nutrition and  better health cover.   Milk produced from fodder is cheaper than the one produced from concentrate ration. These factors are essential for improving the productivity of our animals.  Our milk and eggs can very well compete in the International market but awareness among livestock owners will have to be created for clean milk and egg production besides their being free from residues.  The zone from which these are meant to be exported are required to be disease free.  The agreement, in fact, has thrown a challenge both to the department and livestock owners alike, which has to be converted  into opportunity to sell our animal products in the international market as well for better returns to the livestock owners. 

(III)       SELECTION OF ADARSH GRAM.

The Department of Animal Husbandry, Punjab has come up with a new programme in order to give phillip to the beneficiary oriented developmental activities at the grass-root level.  It will be a pilot project, which has been taken up in a village in every block.  Care has been taken that this village is almost centrally located in the block, has a Civil Veterinary Hospital and well connected with road etc.   All such villages would be provided with all types of facilities/inputs for the upliftment of livestock and fishery as an alternative/supplementary enterprise to agriculture.  The programme primarily envisages improvement of departmental infrastructural facilities with the sole objective of pushing up dairy, poultry, piggery, sheep and fish production in the villages, thus selected. The programme would be for a period of three and a half years and would be replicated in whole of the State if found rewarding.  The project aims at upliftment of the economic standards of our rural masses and has been named as “ADARSH GRAM PROGRAMME”.  

Administration:

The Director, Animal Husbandry, Punjab shall act as the Project Director.  He will associate other concerned officers like Joint Director, Animal Husbandry (Animal Production), Joint Director, Animal Husbandry (Animal Health), Joint Director, Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry (Statistics) for the accomplishment of the project.  The Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry shall act as Supervisors for their respective districts. 

Appointment of Nodal Officers.

The Project Director shall appoint the Gynaecologist posted in each of the Veterinary Polyclinics to act as Nodal Officer for the  district.  In the districts without polyclinics, the Director shall appoint a suitable Gynaecologist from the other district to act as Nodal Officer. 

Duties and Responsibilities of Staff.

The Nodal Officer will be responsible for smooth running and efficient working of the project in the district.  He will ensure prompt and accurate collection of information on the prescribed proformas.  The Veterinary Officer shall collect the information from the area of his jurisdiction in duplicate with the help of Veterinary Pharmacists working under him for carrying out his job.  Village wise record will be maintained by the Veterinary Officer at his office.  The recorded information will be collected by the Senior Veterinary Officer from the sub division and will be sent to the Nodal Officer of the district.  After compiling the  report, the nodal officer will submit the report to the Supervisor (Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry), who will send these reports to the Deputy Director Animal Husbandry (Statistics) Headquarter, who will consolidate and analyse these reports and final report will be submitted to the Project Director for perusal.

(IV) PRESENT STATUS OF ADARSH GRAMS.

            To ascertain the present status of the villages selected under the programme, it is essential to collect the statistics from these villages to have the first hand information regarding the number of households, number of animals of different species alongwith their status, artificial insemination both in cows and buffaloes, vaccination carried out against the contagious diseases, surveillance of diseases and reproductive disorders, area under cultivation in the village, area under fodder production, total fodder production, animals in milk and total milk production, status of loans received in the village, number of fish ponds and fish production, the staff positioned at the veterinary hospitals alongwith availability of residence, hospital building, boundary wall, facility of water and electricity and other required equipments.  In all 140 villages have been selected from whole of the State under the programme.   The district-wise list of Adarsh Grams is appended herewith at Annexure–A.   The information cited above has been collected in 8 different proformas from every village selected for the purpose.  The information in respect of various diseases and screening of animals for different diseases is being collected and would be filled in proforma No.IX appended herewith. The formatwise and district-wise information in respect of the Adarsh Grams is placed at  Annexure –B..  Although the parameters listed above speak of the economic standard of the people in each Adarsh Gram, yet separately  income per household would also be enumerated.

            The programme as detailed in succeeding paras has already been initiated. The bench-mark data as depicted in proforma No.I to VIII has already been collected.  The Awareness-cum-Sterility/Infertility Camps are being held in such villages and suitable treatment is being given to different animals suffering from various diseases. Organising  of training camps in respect of various programmes has also taken up.  The programme has been initiated w.e.f. October, 2002 and from the next financial year, it would be further strengthened as detailed in Table ‘AA’.

            The programme would be implemented over a period of three and a half years after which, all these parameters would again be studied to know as to how much  economic leap has been made over the period and if it is charming/rewarding, the programme would be replicated all over the State.

(V)  OBJECTIVES.

(a) Diversification of agriculture to Animal Husbandry and Fishery enterprises through providing high class inputs and going hi-tech to raise the economic standards of our rural masses especially the agricultural farmers, who are disgusted with the returns from agriculture. 

(b) This would help in raising the productivity of our animals to raise the nutritional standards of the people of the State. 

(c) It is also targeted to divert part of the land under wheat/rice rotation to fodder production to add to the area already under fodder cultivation for better fodder production and breaking the chain of this rotation. 

(d)  Strengthening the economy of the State. 

(VI) STRATEGIES FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OBJECTIVE.

To push up:-

(a)             milk production by using the (i) semen of superior genetic merit covering (ii) whole of breedable cow and buffalo population, (iii) adequate supply of nutritive fodder and (iv) control of diseases. 

(b)             poultry/broiler production and introduction of low input technology birds. 

(c)             fish production. 

(d)             wool  and meat production. 

(e)             Pig production. 

Higher levels of productivity would make the enterprises all the more remunerative to strengthen the economy of our rural masses/agricultural farmers and same would be achieved by introduction of better/quality:-

·                     germ plasm;

·                     balanced feeding;

·                     housing;

·                     management;

·                     training to aspirants in dairying, poultry, piggery or fishery as per their requirements;

·                     trainers training; and

·                     transfer of technology to the grass root level to apprise our rural masses of various programmes launched in Adarsh Grams  to ensure their participation to boost up animal husbandry/fishery activities to raise their economic standards. 

(VII)      DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES:

(i)Deployment of manpower.

It is envisaged to push up all the animal husbandry activities in these villages alongwith fish production.  For doing so, it is essential that the staff required at each  of our veterinary hospitals at these places is complete.  Besides the Veterinary  Officer, Veterinary Pharmacist and Class-IV staff, which is normally required to be provided at every hospital, shall be there in position. Besides a Poultry Inspector and Agricultural Development Officer alongwith a technical person from the Department of Fisheries would also be positioned/made available at these villages so that person from every discipline is there to take care of their respective programmes.

(ii) Dairy Development Programme.

            (a)Introduction of genetic superiority.

The high quality semen imported recently would be used on all the breedable cows in these villages to push up milk production in the progeny.  Similarly high quality frozen semen from buffalo bulls would be used on breedable buffaloes with the same purpose in view.  The livestock owners would be made a part and parcel of the programme and all the details of the programme would be placed before them and they would be made quite aware of the outcome and benefits of the same.  Their involvement would essentially go a long way in increasing the coverage of breedable cows and buffaloes so far as artificial insemination is concerned.  Whole of the breedable population would be covered with A.I. in a phased manner (Table AA). The merits of genetic superiority of semen would ultimately be translated into quantum jump in milk production.  Besides the genetic upgradation, dairy units would put set up.  The Department of Dairy Development would help to make the credit available from Punjab Agricultural Cooperative Development Bank and other financial institutions besides imparting training in dairying to the aspirants in Adarsh villages. 

(b)Availability of adequate quantity of fodder round the year. 

The availability of green fodder per animal per day is around 18 Kg., which is hardly sufficient to meet the total requirement of a dairy animal.  It is, therefore, required to push up fodder production.  With this objective in view, the area under fodder in every Adarsh village would be increased.  The seeds of high genetic merit would be procured/produced so as to increase the fodder production per acre.  Thus total fodder production in the village would be increased (Table AA). Demonstration plots in these villages would be arranged so as to demonstrate to the people the technology involved in the production of all types of fodder.  Silage and hay making would be popularized in order to save surplus fodder for lean periods.  It may be ensured that the green fodder is available around the year as the milk produced from green fodder is cheaper than the one produced with concentrate ration.   Fodder days would be frequently observed in these villages to acquaint the people of various practices involved in fodder production.

Thus all the elements such as semen of genetic high merit, sound health cover, protection from contagious diseases and adequate balanced ration, which  collectively are essential for higher milk production would be specifically taken care of. All the programmes in respect of fodder production would be looked after by the Agricultural Development Officer, who shall be available in the village itself.  Similarly, the programme connected with milk production and health cover would be looked after by the Veterinary Officer, Incharge of the Veterinary Hospital.

© Disease Control.

15-20% production losses are reported to be there on account of various livestock diseases. The livestock owners would be provided all types of animal health facilities and the livestock would be protected against the contagious diseases like H.S. and F.M.D. (Table AA).  The animals would also be protected against BQ disease wherever required. Other species of livestock would also be similarly protected.  Screening of livestock diseases and the remedial measures as per requirement would be carried out/taken.  The effort in totality would be to minimize such losses. 

(iii)    Poultry/Broiler Production.   

The programme of poultry production, which has now assumed the status of an industry in the State would further be supported. A Poultry Inspector would be made available in these villages, who will further motivate the villagers to take up poultry/broiler farming to set up new units. (Table AA). He will be responsible for providing vaccination against contagious diseases to protect the birds from the same alongwith de beaking and other after sales services. 

The poultry both for egg and broiler production would be pushed up utilizing the superior genetic germ plasm for economic egg production in large number and to achieve better gains in broiler body weight in the shortest possible time whatever may be the source of germ plasm.  Most of the poultry in Punjab is around urban areas. The rural masses especially the poor people could not avail of the benefits of modern poultry because of the high input and infrastructural costs.  The availability of eggs and chicken to rural masses especially the poor sections of the society is scanty.  Low input bird could survive and sustain itself under difficult conditions prevailing in villages.  Introduction of such birds in rural areas would make eggs and chicken available in country side.

A large number of weaker sections of our society, including small marginal farmers, landless agricultural labourers still are below the poverty line and thrive on non-nutritive diet.  To supplement their income and raise their nutritive standards,  Government  of India has floated a new Centrally Sponsored

Scheme-“Assistance to State Poultry Farms” on 80(GOI): 20 (State Govt.) basis to introduce dual purpose breed with good body weight and reasonably good egg production with bigger egg size.   The breeding stock to be used has to be of low input technology, which can easily survive with the small farmers.  The birds will not have to be wholly fed by the owner and the cost incurred on rearing would be only nominal as birds would thrive on village waste.  This scheme is a new scheme and would be introduced in the State from the year 2003-04.  The Adarsh Grams would find priority in the implementation of the scheme where good number of units would be set up. 

15 days training would also be imparted by the Department of Animal Husbandry to the persons aspiring to set up poultry/broiler units and adopt low input technology birds in Adarsh Grams.

(iv)    Piggery Development.

There are 6 Government Pig Breeding Farms in the State from where weaned piglets of about two months age of imported breeds are given to the aspiring farmers at reasonable rates to upgrade their indigenous stock both for breeding and fattening.  The Veterinary Officer, Incharge of the Hospital will motivate the people further and ensure the supply of quality piglets from the Government Pig Breeding Farms to the persons aspiring for pig farming and look after their upkeep and health cover etc.  He will be responsible for establishing new piggery units (Table AA) and also take care of the old ones.

(v)    Sheep Production.

The sheep production is mostly localized to Southern Western districts of the State and the shepherds  are the poorest lot  out of all the livestock owners of the State.  Their flocks in selected villages would receive special attention in respect of deworming, dippping and other health cover  facilities.  They would also be provided with rams of high genetic merit to upgrade their flocks.

Programme to be implemented in each Adarsh Gram.                                   

                                    TABLE AA