India Launches 21st Livestock Census Aiming at Animal Health Security

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh announced the launch of the 21st Livestock Census and a Pandemic Fund Project aimed at enhancing animal health security in India. Conducted with a Rs 200 crore budget, the census will gather precise data to inform government policies for livestock growth and health security initiatives.

The Indian government has officially launched the 21st Livestock Census, a comprehensive survey aimed at collecting precise data on the country's diverse animal population. Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh announced the initiative, which comes with a budget of Rs 200 crore, funded entirely by the central government, and will run until February 2025.

Minister Singh also introduced a USD 25 million Pandemic Fund Project, supported by the G20 Pandemic Fund, to bolster animal health security against possible pandemics. Addressing the importance of animal health, Singh noted its direct link to human health, emphasizing that many zoonotic diseases originate from animals.

The census will engage approximately 1 lakh field officials and cover over 30 crore households, including the enumeration of 15 livestock species and various poultry birds. Utilizing mobile technology for efficient data collection, the census aims to capture information crucial for policy-making, focusing on animal health, gender roles in livestock rearing, and productivity.

(With inputs from agencies.)