Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala launched Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) projects and felicitated entrepreneurs during the AHIDF conclave held on 14 July 2022.
Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying organized the conclave in collaboration with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and Industry Associations etc. It aimed at ensuring the participants with the best possible knowledge inputs related to the AHIDF Scheme and facilitation of various stakeholders.
Other eminent personalities who attended the event included Sivasubramanian Ramann, CMD SIDBI, Dr G.R. Chintala, Chairman, NABARD, and Dr Praveen Malik, Animal Husbandry Commissioner.
In his address, Union Minister Parshottam Rupala highlighted the importance of the dairy and fisheries sector and congratulated the entrepreneurs for their contribution to the development of the sector and for generating employment for farmers and people in rural areas.
He said that there is a need to focus on livestock health including sustainable food systems for the livestock. Rupala mentioned that the government is trying its best to double farmers' income and aggressively working to provide Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) to livestock farmers.
Rupala launched the Credit Guarantee Online Portal and virtually inaugurated 4 major plants set up with the support of AHIDF scheme. He felicitated the entrepreneurs/ lenders & networking between all stakeholders and upcoming entrepreneurs. The one-day conclave had various sessions followed by a discussion by a group of highly esteemed panel members.
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, MoS, FAHD who also attended the event congratulated the entrepreneurs and asked them to find new ways to reduce livestock feed costs.
Secretary, DAHD, Atul Chaturvedi highlighted the need to focus beyond poverty alleviation and increasing farmers’ income towards wealth creation in rural areas. He said that the AHIDF scheme is a major step in this direction.
The conclave saw participation of more than 600 Entrepreneurs/ Stakeholders, Lenders/SLBC’s, Government Officials (State and Centre Government), Common Service Centers, Industry Associations/ farmers associations & Government organizations.
