New Delhi: The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has lamented the neglect of the indigenous Ongole cattle breed and called for protecting and promoting the animal, which has become popular all over the world.
Releasing a Compendium on Ongole breed of cattle at the Swarna Bharat Trust in Vijayawada today, the Vice President asserted that cattle wealth was national wealth and pointed out that Brazil which has imported these cattle and produced hybrid Ongoles was earning huge revenue through export.
‘Unfortunately, India is not focusing enough attention on our own breed”, he added.
Shri Naidu said the time has come for promoting Ongole cattle breed in a big way and also take up research on the animal, which is known for its toughness, high milk yield, tolerance to tropical heat and disease resistance.
The 1200-page Compendium traces the history of the animal from 1885 to 2016 by providing information from 13 books and 80 research findings on Ongole Cattle.
Lauding the efforts of Agricultural scientist, Mullapudi Narendranath and former Joint Director, of Animal Husbandry Department, Adusumilli Madhusudan Rao for compilation of the Compendium, he felicitated them.
The Vice President also wanted the officials to expedite the works at National Kamadhenu Breeding Centre, Chintaladevi in Nellore District, which was set up when Shri Naidu was the Union Minister.
Observing that agriculture was facing many challenges, the Vice President stressed the need for multi-pronged efforts from all stakeholders to double the income of farmers by making agriculture sustainable and profitable. He urged farmers to take up backyard poultry and in house dairy for fetching additional income.
He also expressed his anguish over the degeneration of values, principles and tolerance levels and lack of discipline in present-day politics and warned that it would be harmful to democracy unless the situation was remedied.
The Vice President also inaugurated a medical camp organized jointly by Aayush Hospitals, Rainbow Hospitals and Shankara Netralaya in the premises of Swarna Bharat Trust and cautioned people against the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases due to life style changes.
Underlining the importance of maintaining proper lifestyle by undertaking regular physical exercise, yoga and consuming healthy diet, he warned that eating instant food would lead to constant diseases.
Touched by a news item describing the manner in which a disabled girl, Saisree overcame her handicap and scored a good rank in SSC exams, Shri Naidu invited her parents and the girl to the Swarna Bharat Trust and presented a cheque for Rs.50,000, which comprises Rs,25,000 from his salary and another Rs. 25,000 donated by his son, Shri Harshavardhan on behalf of Muppavarapu Foundation run by his family members and promised her parents further help if they continue to support her with her studies.
