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Minister inaugurates climate-resilient animal shed in GADVASU
The 250-feet long and 85-feet wide animal shed inaugurated at GADVASU, Ludhiana, is a comfortable habitat for animals in which indoor temperature can be reduced by 5–7 degrees with the help of fans, sprinklers and other techniques
Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Friday inaugurated climate-resilient animal shed and the new building of College of Fisheries at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).
The university authorities said the shed, with a capacity of sheltering 150 animals, has been developed with the financial assistance from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, Government of India, and contributions from NABARD and Punjab State Council of Science and Technology.
The 250-feet long and 85-feet wide shed is a comfortable habitat for animals in which indoor temperature can be reduced by 5–7 degrees with the help of fans, sprinklers and other techniques. These sheds require less labour and improve production.
Dhaliwal— minister of animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development, rural development and panchayats and NRI affairs— said productivity of livestock can be increased by improving their breeds. The government should invest more in the livestock sector so that more efforts could be put in for the betterment of farmers, he said.
Vice-chancellor Inderjeet Singh said livestock occupations are growing at an annual rate of 8 per cent as compared to 3.4 per cent in agriculture.
Inaugurating the new building of College of Fisheries, Dhaliwal said since there is a huge potential for marketing of fish products in the state, the university should hone skills of workers and professionals by providing them better training. He also visited the experimental area and fish ponds of the college.
The minister also visited the multi-specialty veterinary hospital where he was apprised of the state-of-the-art facilities being provided by the university. An exhibition for services and products of GADVASU was also organised.
Interacting with the media, Dhaliwal took a dig at Congress after the former president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Sunil Jakhar, joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Dhaliwal said Congress is on the verge of collapse and will vanish from the country after 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
GADVASU interns, 2016 batch students stage demonstration during minister’s visit
Demanding a hike in stipend, students interning with Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) staged a demonstration during the visit of cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal to the university on Friday. Meanwhile, 2016 batch students were also part of the protest seeking eligibility for the exam to be conducted for the recruitment of veterinary officers.
The students also submitted a memorandum with the minister.
The protesting interns said they are receiving a stipend of ₹6,200 per month, whereas students interning with other universities, including Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU), Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS) in Haryana, are getting a stipend of at least ₹17,000 per month. There are over 100 interns in GADVASU.
Meanwhile, the 2016 batch students of GADVASU, said. “ The previous Congress government had released a notice in December for recruiting veterinary officers and the tentative date for conducting the exam was in April 2022. In the eligibility criteria, it was mentioned that only those who have completed the degree before December 2021 are eligible to apply for the post.”
Since the exam has not been held yet, the students demanded that the government should revise the eligibility criteria and give them a chance to appear for the examination.
The minister assured to look into the demands and provide employment to the students.
