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| J&K Govt withdrawing from Sheep Husbandry sector | | Selling of Deptt’s land, squeezed budget, manpower' shortage among factors responsible for its slow death | | Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 5: The last ruler of princely state of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh had facilitated the establishment of Sheep breeding farm in Reasi in the year 1937 but after 75 years the democratically elected government took over 100 Kanals of its land for the establishment of Deputy Commissioner office Reasi.
The establishment of the Reasi farm was among several other initiatives taken by the then rulers. The Maharaja had also sought technical know-how from the British government in the year 1920, engaged Professor Alfred Baker of Leeds University, who submitted his report in 1928 titled, "Prospective Development of Kashmir as Sheep Breeding and Wool Growing Country". It was on Baker's recommendations, a Sheep breeding company "Kashmir Sheep Farm Pvt Limited", came into existence in early 1937 along with the establishment of Sheep Breeding and Research Farm Reasi.
The state governments' thrust towards Sheep Husbandry sector was visible till the beginning of third millennium. The creation of an independent Sheep Husbandry department in the year 1962 and two separate heads of the department for Kashmir and Jammu division in the year 1982 were some progressive initiatives but in the last two decades the government has started gradual withdrawal from this sector which contributes over 5 % to state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
The Sheep Husbandry department caters the needs of over 40 Lakhs population of sheeps and goats but it has been facing government apathy on account of reduction of annual budget for purchase of vaccination, medicines, systematic encroachment of its lands, non-fulfilling of vacant posts beside others, which are ultimately impacting the sheep and goat rearers, most of whom are nomads.
Squeezed State Expenditure
As per Economic Survey Report of 2017, the contribution of Animal and Sheep Husbandry sector to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of J&K recorded an increase from 4.62 % to 5.67 % in the financial year 2014-15 to 2016-17 whereas the government spending for the same period has recorded a downward trend from 0.04 % of GSDP to 003 % of GSDP.
Decreased funds for vaccination/medicines
A Bakerwal Mohammad Rashid (45) says that earlier department used to provide medicines and vaccines at subsidized rates but now they have stopped most of these and nomads have to purchase most of the vaccines from the market and it drained lot of money.
A senior official of Sheep Husbandry department, who wished not to be named, said that the average annual treatment cost and vaccination cost of one animal (goat or sheep) is Rs. 30. The Jammu province alone has 35 Lakhs of goats and sheeps, which requires Rs. 10.50 Crores for treatment but government is giving merely Rs. 3.56 Crores for Jammu province, leaving a gap of over Rs. 7 Crores.
The official further said that earlier the department vaccinated sheep/goats for four diseases but out of four diseases, Entero Toxaemin vaccination, Sheeppox vaccination and another one has been stopped due to funds' scarcity.
"Though under a centrally sponsored scheme all livestock will be vaccinated with PPR vaccination but there are no funds for other vaccination", official said, adding that earlier the department was providing medicines at subsidised rates.
"At present we are getting merely Rs. 1.75 Crores out of which most essential components such as bandages, lotions and other first-aid material is procured. The remaining funds are used during any outbreak of epidemic or to provide some basic medicines in the veterinary centres and there is hardly any money left for giving subsidized medicines", the official said.
Selling of lands of department
In return of 100 Kanals land taken by government for DC office Reasi, the department was given land on bank o rivulet, which is a flood prone area. During summers it is very difficult to keep lambs and sheep there due to excessive hot temperature, another official of department said.
The official further state Deputy Commissioner Kathua had approached government for taking land of Sheep Husbandry's district office Kathua for establishment of a parking slot but after repeated denials, the plan was shelved so far.
"Moreover the Balnoi sheep farm of department is located near Line of Control in Rajouri, which is so far unfenced area. Time and again locals attempt to encroach farm's land but department didn't get police support to remove encroachments", the official said.
Department's employee's shortage
Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu Dr. Sanjeev Kumar said that a total of 743 posts of non-gazetted employees such as Assistant Stock Man also called shepherds, Chowkidars, Orderlies and Para-vet staff such as supervisors, staff assistant, flock masters have been falling vacant for the last many years.
"In Billawar, Basohli, Bani hilly sub divisions, the department has 14 centres but only 7 Para-vet staff. One Para-vet staff is looking after two centres, which are several miles distant from each other", Dr. Kumar said, adding that the department has seven sheep breeding farms Rajbagh Goat breeding farm, Balnoi sheep farm in Poonch, Panthal sheep farm in Katra, Billawar Sheep farm in Kathua, Thathri sheep farm in Doda, Chanderkot Sheep farm in Reasi.
The department has nearly 5000 livestock of its own in these farms but to take care of the livestock there are very minimum employees.
"The department has Fodder Development Farm Lahn, which spreads over 8278 kanals of land in district Rajouri. The department used to cultivate over 800 kanals of land with maize and oats, which caters to the need of all sheep breeding farms but at present there are only two field man to take care of the fodder farm, which is very difficult", Director said.
"Against the total of 77 posts of Gazetteed offices, 44 have been lying vacant due to which many centres of the department have been vacant. Moreover department has 7 mobile veterinary centres, each with a post of Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Para-vet and a shepherd but due to overall scarcity of employees, mobile centres have been running by internal arrangement", Dr. Kumar said.
Other curtailments in budget
A senior official of department pleading anonymity said that many departmental buildings needed repairs and renovation but same was not possible due to closing of repair and renovation head by government some 7-8 years back. The overall budget support to the department has been constant for the last 10-12 years despite increase in livestock population and their demands, the official said.
Import of elite breeds of sheeps
Official in the department said that last time in the year 1995, the department had imported 50 Rams of Remboulette breed and 200 Sheeps for the production of elite Rams in the department's sheep breeding farms, which would be further distributed among the nomads. "Since last 24 years no new import of Rams has been done due to which the Remboulette breed's quality has deteriorated in the sheep breeding farms. The distribution of high quality Rams and Buds has also decreased in the last few years", the official said.
Decreased cost and demand of Wool
The official said that the government had established Sheep and Sheep Products Development Board (SSPDB) for providing marketing facilities for the by-products of the industry. "The SSPDB is a Corporation but it has been failed to give salaries to its employees for the last many months and is on the verge of closure. Most of the employees have been shifted to other sectors on deputation basis", the official said, adding that the decreased demand of wool in the market with the intrusion of synthetic wool has brought the Board on the brink of closure. The cost of wool is very low Rs. 82/kilograms and livestock rearers depend on open market to sell their products, the official said.
No exact data of Bakerwals available with departments
The seriousness of Jammu and Kashmir Advisory Board for Development of Gujjars and Bakerwals could be gauged from the fact that in response to an RTI application, they claimed that there were no separate and exact census figures of Bakerwal population in the Census of 2001 and 2011 Census whereas Directorate of Tribal Affairs J&K, provided the population of Bakerwals as 60,724 and 113198 as per 2001 and 2011 Census respectively.
However despite having a separate department as well as creation of new Ministry during PDP-BJP coalition government in J&K, no survey has so far conducted by any of the government entity regarding categorization of the population of Bakerwals viz-a-viz nomadic, semi-nomadic and settled. Moreover the reply also added that no facilities have been provided by department to nomads during seasonal migration.
On the other hand, the Department of Sheep Husbandry has figures of total population of migratory, semi-migratory and stationery breeders of goats and sheep.
As per 2016-17 Census, the Jammu province has a total of 10,1483 breeders. These are 12240 migratory breeders, which include mostly the Bakerwals, 39036 semi-migratory breeders which include Gujjars, small Bakerwals and Gaddis and 50,027 stationery breeders, which include maximum of agriculture farmers or some settled small Bakerwals. |
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