The Directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry has proposed increasing the annual incentive for Manipuri pony owners to Rs.10,000 per pony, while its 33 Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) have handled 7,205 cases since April this year.
Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry L. Arunkumar Singh shared the information during a Meet the Press programme organised by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations at its auditorium today.
On the recently launched Pony Registration System (PRS), he said the department had begun implementing the system to determine the state’s pony population. The department has earmarked Rs.30 lakh for annual incentives, with 1,150 pony owners receiving incentives last year. Following the launch of the registration system, a proposal was submitted to raise the incentive to Rs.10,000 per pony owner.
He said the preservation of the endangered Manipuri Pony had been approved under a joint initiative of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the state government. Under the regional development framework, Manipur’s identified unique selling proposition is its polo heritage, with selective breeding and infrastructure development forming key components.
Regarding livestock insurance, Arunkumarsaid 2,456 animals had been insured since April 1 under the National Livestock Insurance Scheme. The department has also received approval to establish a Pig Semen Processing Unit and plans to consult the National Research Centre on Pig at Rani, Guwahati.
Under the National Animal Disease Control Programme, the seventh round of foot-and-mouth disease vaccination has been completed, while the eighth round is underway. The programme aims to eradicate the disease by 2030. Strengthening check posts at Mao and Jiribam has also been approved.
Arunkumar said all 33 MVUs, launched on July 11, 2024, operate through the toll-free number 1962, providing services from 9 am to 5 pm. Of the 7,205 cases received since April 1, 693 were addressed over the phone and 6,512 through field visits.
The department is also implementing projects for dairy farming among Scheduled Caste farmers and constructing five slaughterhouses in Churachandpur, Senapati, Ukhrul, Imphal East and Imphal West to improve access to hygienic meat.
Under the Pashu Aushadhi Vikray Kendra scheme, 87 veterinary pharmacies are planned—16 at district level, one at state level and 70 at block level. The department has also fulfilled five of six eligibility criteria under the Rs.100-crore Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment, he said.
The State Veterinary Hospital receives an average of 80 to 100 animal patients daily, and installation of an X-ray machine is planned. The department also operates farms at Lamphel, Khumbong and Ningthoukhong, while a liquid nitrogen plant at Porompat supports animal breeding and fertility programmes.