ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan government will announce the Livestock and Dairy Policy 2019 soon to cater to the needs of cattle-owners as well as to boost the livestock sector in the province.

It will be the first livestock policy since Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his vision to revive the livestock sector for improving the living standard of people settled in rural areas besides reducing poverty.

According to an official in the livestock department, a livestock expo would be organised soon and incentive packages would be announced to attract private parties for making investment in the sector.

He said the government has also allocated Rs52 million to revamp and modernise cattle farming in seven districts of the province.

To overcome unemployment among veterinary doctors and provide best treatment facilities for animals, he said, the department would generate 150 new jobs.

Moreover, he said the government was planning to establish 23 civil veterinary dispensaries in the province.

A sum of Rs10 million had been allocated to operationalise wool and research centre at Mastung and Rs52m had been allocated for the upgrading of seven dairy and poultry farms in the province, he maintained.

Similarly, Rs250m had been allocated for setting up ring centres for animals in Qilla Abdullah, Zhob, Tuftan and Gwadar for the current fiscal year. An amount of Rs100m had been earmarked for renovation of the slaughter house situated on eastern bypass of Quetta.

The Balochistan government had allocated Rs722m for the development of livestock sector under the Public Sector Development Prog­ramme (PSDP), he added.

The provincial government had also released a grant of Rs4.027 billion for the annual expenditures of livestock and dairy development department, he said.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2019