AMPATI/TURA, Jan 9: Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala on Monday arrived in South West Garo Hills and immediately went into action by reviewing the implementation of central schemes and flagship programmes of various departments during a meeting at Circuit House in Ampati.
Rupala, during the meeting, laid focus on the status of schemes implemented by the Animal Husbandry & Veterinary department, Fisheries department and Border Areas Development department in the district.
He also laid focus on issues and challenges faced by these departments, particularly along the border areas in South West Garo Hills, which shares a 38-km-long border with Bangladesh.
During the meeting, the union minister said the purpose of his visit was to listen to the grievances of the farmers, including inflow of funds, which were to be intimated to him by the concerned departments.
The Animal Husbandry & Veterinary department, during the review meeting, apprised the union minister of the requirements for a veterinary hospital, livestock farm, particularly piggery farm and animal shelter for animals that are confiscated by the Border Security Force (BSF) from smugglers.
Rupala has, meanwhile, assured the department that he would address the departmental issues and informed that the mobile van units, which he would hand over to the district on Tuesday, are specifically meant for rural areas to address the issue of lack of veterinary hospitals in South West Garo Hills.
It may be mentioned that the union minister, as part of his two-day visit, will traverse the district to interact with the self-help groups (SHGs), farmers and village organisations.
On Tuesday, he will also inspect villages along the international border as well as border fencing, and will visit Kalaichar border haat and border outposts as well as inspect Anganwadi centres en route Mahendraganj.
Earlier, while on his way to Ampati, the union minister made a brief stopover at Ganol Dairy Plant near Tura in West Garo Hills and inspected the ongoing construction of a new dairy plant.
During the inspection, the union minister was briefed about the ongoing construction of the new dairy plant, which has a capacity of 10,000 litre.
It may be mentioned that the present dairy plant holds a capacity of about 8,000 litre of milk production, including other dairy products.
