SHILLONG, June 3: Union Minister of State (MoS) for Fisheries, L Murugan on Friday urged the concerned departments to work towards becoming self-reliant, while maintaining that the state has a huge demand for piggery and poultry.
The MoS on his second day of visit to Meghalaya inspected the dairy establishment at Mawiong and interacted with government officials regarding activities taken up in the project.
He also interacted with dairy farmers and discussed the activities carried out by the state in the sector and schemes that are available from the central government. He also acknowledged the huge potential for dairy and animal husbandry in the state, and said that the farmers can make a good income if they utilise the potential.
He later visited the Indo-Danish project of the Cattle Breeding Farm in Upper Shillong where works to produce improved breeding stock for development of cattle in the state to boost milk production are taken up.
This farm also supplies wholesome milk to the neighbouring urban areas and serves as the visual demonstration units in scientific method of rearing, feeding and management of cattle, which includes fodder cultivation.
The minister also visited the Upper Shillong-based Intensive Cattle Development Project that was established in the state in a bid to take up an integrated approach in development of cattle breeding, fodder development etc.
Later in the evening, the MoS also interacted with officials of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting at All India Radio, and took stock of the activities and functioning of all the departments of the I&B Ministry.