Revised Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme

Context: The Cabinet approved the revision of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) with a total outlay of ₹3,880 crore for FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26, and added a new component Pashu Aushadhi, with allocation of Rs 75 crores. 

Status of Livestock Sector in India

• India has the world's largest population of livestock. As per the 20th Livestock Census, India’s Livestock population stood at 535.78 million in 2019. This included a total bovine population (including cattle, buffalo, mithun and yak) of 302.79 million.

Significance of Livestock Sector

• Contribution to GDP: Contribution to total Livestock GVA (at constant prices) was 30.19% of Agricultural and Allied Sector GVA and 5.73% of Total GVA in 2021-22.
  • India is ranked 1st in milk production contributing 23% of global milk production.
  • India is the largest producer of buffalo meat and 2nd largest producer of goat meat.
• Employment generation: Livestock rearing is a major source of livelihood for over 70% of rural households in India, especially for small and marginal farmers and landless laborers.
• Food and Nutritional Security: Livestock products such as milk, meat, and eggs are rich in essential nutrients, playing a crucial role in combating malnutrition.
• Interlinkages with Agri-activities: The livestock sector is crucial for production of organic inputs like manure and agricultural waste is used as fodder for animals.

Issues faced by Livestock Sector in India

• Health and Veterinary Issues:
  • High economic losses due to animal diseases: E.g., Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Brucellosis, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF), Lumpy Skin Disease etc. 
  • Zoonotic diseases can be transmitted between animals and humans, as evidenced by recent outbreaks like COVID-19, Ebola, and Avian influenza.
  • Inadequate infrastructure: India has less than 60 recognised veterinary colleges in India, which are inadequate to turn out the required number of vets. 
  • Anti-Microbial Resistance: India ranks 4th in antibiotics use in animals, wherein the poultry sector is the largest reservoir of antibiotics. 
• Economic Issues:
  • Low Productivity: Due to inadequate nutrition, poor management practices, and low genetic potential of local breeds.
    • Average annual productivity of cattle in India is 1777 kg/animal/year as against the world average of 2699 kg/animal/year (2019-20).
  • Unorganised Sector: About half of total meat production comes from un-registered, make-shift slaughterhouses. 
  • High Marketing and transaction costs: of livestock products at around 15-20% of sale price.
  • Low Insurance Cover: Only 15.47% of animals are under insurance cover.
  • Shortage of Fodder: India has only 5% of its cultivable land under fodder production while having 11% of livestock, creating a huge pressure on land, water and other resources. 
• There is no exclusive livestock extension program, and most services are animal health-focused, not extension-focused. 
• Greenhouse gas emissions: Enteric methane emission from Indian livestock contributed 15.1% total global enteric methane emissions.

Livestock Health & Disease Control Programme (LHDCP)

• Aim: To improve the animal health sector by implementation of prophylactic vaccination programmes against various diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity building, disease surveillance and strengthening of veterinary infrastructure. 
• Objectives of the scheme:
  • To implement a Critical Animal disease control programme to eradicate PPR (viral disease) by 2030 by vaccinating all sheep and goats and to control Classical Swine Fever (CSF) by vaccinating the entire pig population.
    • Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), also known as sheep and goat plague, is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants.
  • To provide veterinary services at the farmers’ doorstep through Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs). 
  • To assist States/UTs for Control of Animal Disease (ASCAD) by prevention & control of important livestock and poultry diseases.

Revised LHDCP consists of Three Major Components

1. National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP): Focuses on immunisation and control of major livestock diseases.

2. Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH&DC): Comprises three sub-components:

• Critical Animal Disease Control Programme (CADCP): Targets major livestock diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Brucellosis, etc.
• Establishment and Strengthening of Veterinary Hospitals & Dispensaries (ESVHD-MVU): Includes Mobile Veterinary Units (MVU) for doorstep healthcare.
• Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD): Financial and technical support to state governments.

3. Pashu Aushadhi Kendras (New component):

• Aim: To provide affordable and good-quality generic veterinary medicines.
• Distribution through PM-Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and cooperative societies.
• Pashu Aushadhi Kendras will also sell ethno-veterinary medicines, based on traditional beliefs and indigenous knowledge and practices.

Other Initiatives in Livestock Sector: 

• Rashtriya Gokul Mission: Focuses on the development and conservation of indigenous breeds through selective breeding and genetic upgradation.
• National Livestock Mission: Aims to ensure quantitative and qualitative improvement in livestock production systems and capacity building of all stakeholders.
• Extension of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the sector and establishment of Animal Health Infrastructure Development Fund etc.
• Dairy Development Programs: Schemes like the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) and Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS) aim to modernize the dairy sector and promote entrepreneurship.