Lok Sabha Question No. 4570 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Shortage of Veterinary Doctors
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shardaben Anilbhai Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4570

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 TH  MARCH, 2023

## SHORTAGE OF VETERINARY DOCTORS

4570. SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालनऔरडेयरीमंत्री

be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that there is an acute shortage of veterinary doctors at present in the country;

(b) if so, the details of the sanctioned and vacant posts respectively, State-wise;

(c) whether it is also a fact that a large-scale livestock deaths are taking place due to lack of medical facilities in the country; and

(d) the steps taken or being taken by the Government to save the lives of animals during the last two years?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a)  and  (b)  Animal  Husbandry,  including  Veterinary  Science  as  well  as  veterinary  practice,  is  a State  subject.  Hence,  public  employment  of  veterinarians,  as  per  their  requirement,  is  the responsibility  of  the  State  Government.  State-wise  details  of  sanctioned  and  vacant  posts  of veterinary doctors employed, as gathered from them, areat Annexure I.

(c) and (d) While no reports of large scale deaths of animals due to lack of veterinary services / facilities  have  been  received from the States,  yet reports of  death of animals affected by  Lumpy Skin  Disease  (LSD)  have  been  received  during  2022-23.  Department  has  issued  advisories /guidelines / SOP for containment of LSD and isolation of infected animals, vaccination, hygiene and treatment protocols. Control Room at the centre was set up, which coordinated efforts of the States  in  controlling  LSD.    Central  teams  were  also  deputed  for  investigation  and  monitoring. Advisories were also issued to unaffected States for appropriate awareness and preparedness. Funds have  also  been  provided  to  affected  States  as  per  their  demand.  Recovery  rate  has  improved thereafter.

During  the  last  two  years,  Department  has  taken  up  vaccination,  on  national  scale,  against economically important  animal  diseases  like  Foot  and  Mouth  Disease  (FMD),  Brucellosis,  Peste Petits Ruminants (Goat plague), Classical Swine Fever (Hog cholera). In addition, States are also assisted  financially  for  vaccination  of  animals  against  State-priority  diseases  across  the  country which  help in  saving  of  lives  of  animals.  Assistance,  including  providing  veterinary  services  is given under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme of the Department.

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Annexure -I

## State-wise position of sanctioned and vacant posts of veterinary doctors (till January 2023)

|   S.No. | State                           |   Sanctioned posts of Veterinary doctors | Vacant posts of Veterinary doctors   |
|---------|---------------------------------|------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|       1 | Andhra Pradesh                  |                                     1781 | 275                                  |
|       2 | Arunachal Pradesh               |                                      176 | NIL                                  |
|       3 | Assam                           |                                      703 | 171                                  |
|       4 | Andaman &Nicobar Islands        |                                       45 | 14                                   |
|       5 | Bihar                           |                                     2067 | 860                                  |
|       6 | Chhattisgarh                    |                                      754 | 41                                   |
|       7 | Chandigarh                      |                                       05 | 01                                   |
|       8 | Delhi                           |                                       64 | 12                                   |
|       9 | Dadra Nagar &Haveli; Daman &Diu |                                       04 | 03                                   |
|      10 | Goa                             |                                       56 | 23                                   |
|      11 | Gujarat                         |                                      810 | 432                                  |
|      12 | Haryana                         |                                     1126 | 216                                  |
|      13 | Himachal Pradesh                |                                      535 | 81                                   |
|      14 | Jammu &Kashmir                  |                                     1295 | 317                                  |
|      15 | Jharkhand                       |                                      774 | 237                                  |
|      16 | Karnataka                       |                                     3317 | 1136                                 |
|      17 | Kerala                          |                                     1637 | 46                                   |
|      18 | Ladakh                          |                                       48 | 07                                   |
|      19 | Lakshadweep                     |                                       13 | 12                                   |
|      20 | Madhya Pradesh                  |                                     1671 | 289                                  |
|      21 | Maharashtra                     |                                     2581 | 681                                  |
|      22 | Manipur                         |                                      163 | 42                                   |
|      23 | Meghalaya                       |                                      262 | 3                                    |
|      24 | Mizoram                         |                                      115 | 28                                   |
|      25 | Nagaland                        |                                      165 | 14                                   |
|      26 | Odisha                          |                                     1480 | 382                                  |
|      27 | Puducherry                      |                                       33 | 23                                   |
|      28 | Punjab                          |                                     1508 | 707                                  |
|      29 | Rajasthan                       |                                     3691 | 1367                                 |
|      30 | Sikkim                          |                                      185 | 71                                   |
|      31 | Tamil Nadu                      |                                     3030 | 299                                  |
|      32 | Telangana                       |                                     1223 | 297                                  |
|      33 | Tripura                         |                                      348 | 196                                  |
|      34 | Uttar Pradesh                   |                                     2286 | 598                                  |
|      35 | Uttarakhand                     |                                      461 | 90                                   |
|      36 | West Bengal                     |                                     1333 | 119                                  |