UP aims to tap CSR funds for doorstep vet services

LUCKNOW A range of on-demand veterinary services, including health care, may just be a call away for cattle owners in Uttar Pradesh if the animal husbandry department is able to rope in private companies for launching a new scheme that the department has planned.

Trying to replicate Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Pashudhan Sanjeevni’ model, Uttar Pradesh has begun efforts to launch a similar project here with the help of private firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.

The objective of the scheme is to provide doorstep veterinary care and treatment services that farmers can avail for their animals by dialling a toll-free number.

The Uttar Pradesh Livestock Development Board (UPLDB) has invited proposals from companies, firms and agencies that are willing to spend a part of their CSR funds on setting up and operating a centralized 24x7 call centre that will be integrated with all the districts and blocks, much like the 108 ambulance helpline number.

“We have already placed an advertisement in this regard for companies willing to work with us in setting up and operating a command centre with corporate social responsibility funds on the line of one successfully functioning in MP,” UPLDB chief executive officer AK Singh said.

He said the government would make land available to such firms free of cost for this purpose while all other expenses, including running ones, will have to be borne by them following signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between them and UPLDB.

The proposed project seeks doorstep delivery of on-demand veterinary services like artificial insemination, healthcare, vaccination, deworming and others in all the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh with the help of the centralized call centre that will take farmers’ call and direct the same to vets concerned for teleconsultancy or personal visit as required.

“Once launched, this service will empower farmers across the state as real-time access to quality healthcare services for their cattle, buffaloes and other livestock will be a phone call away,” Singh said.

Such a service, ‘Sanjeevani’, is functioning ‘very successfully’ in MP.

The Madhya Pradesh animal husbandry department signed an MoU with Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited to roll out the animal healthcare services programme, ‘Pashu Dhan Sanjeevani - 1962’, in the state on March 20, 2018 during the Shivraj Singh Chouhan regime.

‘Sanjeevani – 1962’ was the first of its kind initiative by any state government in the country, making it possible for animal owners to avail a range of veterinary services by dialling the toll-free helpline number 1962.

“Unlike in MP where the state government and corporate are equally sharing the cost, here in UP the government has sought to offer only land to the companies that are supposed to set up and run the call centre with their CSR funds. It will be interesting to see how many companies show their interest,” said an official of the animal husbandry department.