LAHORE, Feb 1: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Thursday the provincial government had so far advanced Rs4.75 billion worth of loans to the livestock farmers for the purchase of milch cattle in view of the importance of the sector.

He was presiding over a meeting held to review development projects of the livestock and dairy development sector here at his secretariat. Livestock minister Haroon Sultan, Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, P&D chairman Suleman Ghani and others attended the meeting.

The chief minister said the government was implementing a revolutionary plan aimed at development of the livestock and dairy sector. Steps taken under it to enhance cattle breeding, ensure its better feeding and marketing, and protect it from diseases had yielded positive results.

He said a master plan was being implemented in the province to enhance meat and milk production. It had been decided to establish Punjab Meat Development Company to increase meat production.

The livestock sector would be re-organised so as to meet challenges relating to livestock feeding, breeding and marketing through modern methods of management. Initially, dispensaries for the treatment of milch cattle were being established in union councils in 18 districts of the province.

These districts included Okara, Sahiwal, Jhang, Muzaffargarh, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Chakwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Kasur, Pakpattan, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Sargodha, Layyah, Rawalpindi and Nankana Sahib.

He said the presence of veterinary doctors and necessary equipment would be ensured in these dispensaries. Mobile dispensaries and veterinary hospitals were also being established at the tehsil headquarters level in these districts. There would be one veterinary doctor for 24,000 cattle, he said. —Staff Reporter