Chitradurga: An Ambulance Bhagya for sheep and goats! Is this the latest incentive for Kurubas (shepherds), the community Chief Minister Siddaramaiah belongs to? The CM’s pet Bhagyas are set to get an addition soon with the state-run Sheep and Wool Development Corporation sanctioning an ambulance each for 18 districts to treat sheep and goats.
Tumkuru district stands first in Karnataka in sheep rearing followed by Chitradurga. With an ambulance costing around Rs 10 lakh, a total of Rs 1.80 crore has been provided under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojane for the scheme which is likely to be launched by Mr Siddaramaiah himself by the month-end.
Veterinary department staff will work under the stewardship of the assistant director of the Sheep and Wool Development Corporation to implement the scheme. The vehicle will move to places where sheep are reared, provide medicines, administer injections and dole out technical information to shepherds.
According to the 19th livestock census-2012, the state has 95.71 lakh sheep and 47.90 lakh goats. Tumakuru stood first with 10.61 lakh sheep and 3.26 lakh goats while Chitradurga came second with 9.39 lakh sheep and 2.31 lakh goats.
The districts which will get the ambulances included Tumakuru, Chitradurga, Belagavi, Kalaburgi, Vijayapur, Mysuru, Bidar, Mandya, Gadag, Kolar, Davangere, Bagalakote, Raichur, Haveri, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Yadgir and Ballari.
Animal husbandry department assistant director Dr Prasanna told Deccan Chronicle that an ambulance has already arrived in Chitradurga. It will be used to treat sheep and goats affected by natural calamities and outbreak of diseases.
