DBT Building inaugurated
GUWAHATI, Aug 28: Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi said that in view of the huge demand-supply mismatch with regard to the availability of milk, meat and eggs, there should be greater coordination between the department of Animal Husbandry and Assam Agricultural University (AAU). Mukhi said this while inaugurating the state of the art laboratory building of the Department of Bio-Technology at the College of Veterinary Science at Khanapara on Tuesday.
Governor Mukhi said that both Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department and the AAU need to work together taking the advantage of various flagship programs of the government to increase the production of milk, meat and eggs. He also appealed to both the department and AAU to come forward to jointly adopt 10 villages each to bring in revolution for milk, meat and eggs production, making good use of development fund and available technology.
These 10 villages will act as front line villages for other to follow and gradually take the state towards a growth path. The Governor also called upon Assam Agriculture Minister and Vice Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University to play the role of catalyst in this regard.
It may be noted that the laboratory building has been built with a joint budgetary support of the department of Biotechnology, Government of India and Government of Assam. Terming it as a good example of Centre – State partnership for the growth of frontier science in this part of the country, the Governor said that the laboratory has to take the responsibility of assessing and monitoring the trans boundary animal diseases to ensure that no major animal diseases enter the region through the five international boarders that is Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and China.
The Governor also called upon the veterinarians and scientists to carry out researches under laboratory facility in protecting the health of the state’s livestock population. Prof. Mukhi also hailed the efforts of Assam Agricultural University for taking a lead in developing two cell culture vaccines for Swine Fever and Duck plague.
During the occasion, Mukhi congratulated the Vice Chancellor of the university Dr KM Bujarbaruah and his team for leading the state in research using the cutting edge technology. The Governor also said that all these developments would lead to doubling the income of the farmers through livestock and their products.
The Governor also stressed on the importance to bring in excellence in veterinary teaching, research and extension. Although, AAU has embraced ICT based education delivery system, a lot more will have to be done to produce students with aptitude for starting Start Up Agri-Vet business, develop App based modules for service delivery, the Governor added.
On the sidelines of the programme the Governor also visited the clinic and said that the facilities in the clinic need to be scaled up further with all modern equipment and expertise. Prof. Mukhi also called upon the faculty members and the students to create an enviable teaching- learning ambience and ecology so that the college can produce tomorrow’s leaders and intellectuals and not just the degree holders. On their efficiency and expertize lies the future of livestock sector in the state, in the region and the country, the Governor added. AAU Vice Chancellor Dr KM Bujarbaruah, Dean College of Veterinary Science Dr RN Goswami, Director of Research (Veterinary) of AAU Dr Apurba Chakravarty, members of the faculty, staff and students of the College were present in the programme.