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| Cattle in Karnataka set to have ambulance on call 24/7 |
| Mahesh Kulkarni / Chennai/ Bangalore Jun 17, 2010, 00:14 IST |
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Animal husbandry department to launch service under PPP mode in remote villages.
The phenomenal success of ‘Arogya Kavacha’, a round-the-clock emergency ambulance service for the poor in the state launched two years ago, has prompted Karnataka to come out with a similar service for the cattle population. The state is readying a pilot project under the public-private partnership (PPP) model to launch a 24-hour on-call emergency medical service for the cattle population across every nook and cranny of the state.
“Presently, a large number of remote villages in the state lack primary veterinary clinics and many farmers are losing their cattle due to untreated diseases. We want to give them emergency medical service on call 24 hours. Our aim is to help farmers preserve and increase the cattle population,” Revu Naik Belamagi, minister for animal husbandry, government of Karnataka, said.
The unique feature of the project is that the ambulance will consist of both four-wheelers and two-wheelers in some remote villages. Each ambulance will have a veterinary doctor and a technical assistant with a kit bag of emergency medicines. To begin with, 50 such ambulances will be launched in the select 25 taluks each in northern and southern Karnataka. The department is likely to float tenders next week for selection of a private agency for the purpose, Belamagi told Business Standard.
Presently, the Karnataka Milk Federation and BAIF Institute for Rural Development are some of the agencies that have expertise in this area.
He said, the department has earmarked Rs 5 crore for the purpose and seeking additional funds from the government to extend the scheme to other parts of the state. The selected private partner will appoint doctors and technical assistants for the project and the state is working on giving a name to the project. The department will also set up a 24-hour call centre with a 3-digit phone number to facilitate the farmers seeking help.
Karnataka, presently, has 10.5 million bullocks, 4.32 million buffalos, 9.53 million sheep, 6.14 million goats, 278,000 pigs and 42.4 million poultry birds. There are 362 veterinary hospitals, 1,941 veterinary dispensaries, 1,181 primary veterinary clinics and 230 artificial insemination centres.
However, there is a severe shortage of veterinary doctors in the state. As against the vacant positions of 942 veterinary doctors, the veterinary colleges in the state produce only 240 doctors annually.
During the recent interviews held for filling up 287 posts, only 213 candidates turned up. The government is planning to fill up 487 posts during the present year. Low level of salaries paid by the government is one of the reasons for not getting required candidates, officials in the animal husbandry department said.
This is probably one of the reasons that prompted the government to involve private agencies in its project.
It is the responsibility of the private agency to get the doctors on board, the officials said.
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