Punjab government allocates Rs 2,500 million for livestock development

Punjab Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development, Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh has said that for the development of Sahiwal Cow, Nili Ravi buffalo and other breeds, a state-of-the-art Semen Production Unit (SPU) is being constructed at Khizar Abad, which will produce one million semen doses annually. The minister was presiding over a meeting of Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board (PLDDB), on Wednesday.
Chief Executive Officer PLDDB Major General Muhammad Ali Khan (Retd), General Manager (Fields Services and Capacity Building) PLDDB Dr Naveed Niazi and other officers were also present. The minister said that the Punjab government was giving special attention to the livestock sector to increase production of meat and milk. He said that the Punjab government had allocated Rs 2500 million for the development of livestock under Annual Development Programme.
The CEO PLDDB informed the meeting that 100 men as Artificial Insemination Assistants and 105 women as Livestock Extension Worker from districts Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan have been trained by PLDDB and were working in the field in their respective areas. In the second phase, 200 men and women belonging to districts Sialkot, Mianwali, Bhakkar and Narowal were currently being trained. He said that work was speedily in progress in silage making project. He said arrival of machinery is expected by the last week of April and soon silage will be available to the farmers at economical rate.
Aulakh said the Punjab government was taking special interest in the development of livestock sector and strengthening of economy through the development of this sector was among its top priorities. He said that the project of PLDDB would play an important role in the development of livestock sector.