Karnataka graduates urged to support rural development efforts

The Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture, K. Venkatesh, urged graduates from Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University to engage in rural development. He spoke at the university's 14th convocation in Bidar on March 25. Venkatesh emphasized the importance of animal husbandry, fisheries, and dairy farming for rural empowerment. He highlighted that farmers need technical support from qualified professionals to improve their economic stability. The Minister mentioned various government programs, such as Pashu Bhagya and Ksheera Bhagya, aiming to help rural communities. He encouraged graduates to collaborate with the government to ensure these initiatives succeed. He also pointed out the challenges farmers face due to genetic diseases affecting livestock. The government has launched the National Animal Disease Control Programme to tackle this issue. He stressed the important role graduates can play in making this program effective. Venkatesh noted that Karnataka has approximately 2.9 crore cattle and that the fisheries sector supports around 1.6 million jobs. He concluded by reminding graduates that their contributions are vital to the ongoing economic development of the state.