Students meet deputy CM over shortage of veterinary doctors

ROHTAK: A delegation of students from the Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar and International Institute of Veterinary Education and Research, Bahu Akbarpur in Rohtak, met Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala on Saturday, demanding a recruitment drive in the wake of shortage of veterinary doctors in the state.

The delegation said as many as 918 veterinarians are working in the state against the sanctioned post of 1,222 for a livestock population of 89 lakh.

“The state government had recruited veterinarians in December 2017-18 after a gap of six years and students who passed out by 2016 were permitted to take part in the drive. Whereas students who were studying from 2011 to 2014 are still waiting for a new recruitment drive,” the student delegation stated.

The National Agriculture Commission recommends one veterinarian for every 5,000 animals but at present a single veterinarian in Haryana caters to 8,664 animals.

A student, who was part of delegation, said due to the government’s faulty policy of not recruiting veterinarians every year, many students were forced to go for higher education and some of them started working in private sector.

“Many of students belong to poor families and they need a job after completion of their course,” the student added.

Deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala assured the delegation of resolving their issue at the earliest.

Animal hubandary minister JP Dalal could not be reached for comment since he was busy in the cremation of his father Captain Karan Singh, who passed away in Bhiwani on Wednesday.