YSRCP rule weakened animal husbandry sector: Atchannaidu

Andhra Pradesh Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu on Tuesday criticised the previous YSRCP government, alleging that its administrative neglect over the past five years severely weakened the State’s animal husbandry sector and disrupted essential services for farmers and livestock rearers.

Replying to questions raised by MLAs in the Assembly regarding shortages of facilities and veterinary staff, Atchannaidu said several government departments had been rendered dysfunctional during the previous regime, with the animal husbandry department among the worst affected. Development activities had come to a halt, leaving farmers without access to basic veterinary infrastructure and support services.

He pointed out that veterinary hospitals across the State had been reduced to name-only institutions, lacking essential medicines, modern equipment, and adequate personnel. Many buildings had fallen into disrepair due to prolonged neglect, while staffing shortages further hampered service delivery. Although the department operates 3,176 centres statewide, a significant number had become ineffective because of inadequate funding and poor maintenance during the earlier administration.

The minister also alleged that facilities constructed through farmers’ contributions were not properly maintained, pushing several veterinary institutions into dilapidated conditions. He added that the previous government failed to allocate sufficient funds for infrastructure development, rendering many veterinary centres largely non-functional and unable to meet the needs of livestock farmers.

Highlighting corrective measures by the present coalition government, Atchannaidu said immediate steps were taken after assuming office to revive the department. With financial assistance from RIDF-NABARD and the ESVHD programme, 485 new buildings have been constructed to replace unsafe and deteriorated structures.

He noted that 826 veterinary institutions still require urgent attention, including 400 facilities needing complete reconstruction at an estimated cost of Rs 265.10 crore, while another 426 centres require repairs costing about Rs 37.40 crore. A phased infrastructure development plan has been prepared for 2026-27 to 2028-29 under the RIDF-NABARD framework to address these gaps.

Atchannaidu said the government’s focus is on strengthening the animal husbandry sector to directly benefit farmers and livestock owners, contrasting it with the earlier administration’s neglect. He reiterated that the objective is to rebuild and modernise veterinary services so farmers receive timely and effective support, aiming to revitalise rural livestock infrastructure and improve agricultural livelihoods.