1,000 ‘Pashu Mitras’ to take care of livestock in rural areas

The government has launched the Pashu Mitra Policy-2025 under which 1,000 youths will be trained and appointed as ‘Pashu Mitras’ in the rural belts of the state. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu last week. The aim of the policy is to strengthen the participation of locals in the animal husbandry sector and improve veterinary healthcare and breed improvement services.

A spokesperson for the Animal Husbandry Department said that the main idea was to address instant health needs of cattle and other domestic animals. He added that in areas where veterinary services were far away from villages, ‘Pashu Mitras’ would be a friendly connector between veterinarians and farmers and would be present every time to extend help.

‘Pashu Mitras’ once engaged in a veterinary institution would remain only at the place of their posting, as it would be a non-transferable appointment. The selected incumbents would be paid an honorarium of Rs 5,000 per month for working for just four hours a day. The eligibility criteria for a person to be engaged as a ‘Pashu Mitra’ is that he should belong to the gram panchayat concerned or the urban local body falling in the jurisdiction of the veterinary institution concerned.

A ‘Pashu Mitra’ would be required to perform various duties at veterinary institutions and livestock farms. These duties included lifting of liquid nitrogen and handling large animals like cows, buffaloes, horses, mules etc.

A Pashu Mitra Engagement Committee (PMEC) comprising a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) or his nominee as chairman, senior veterinary officer as member secretary and the veterinary officer concerned as member would make the selections.