Union Agriculture Minister unveils international centre for foot and mouth disease in Odisha

Union Agriculture Minister unveils international centre for foot and mouth disease in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Union minister for agriculture and farmers’ welfare Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday inaugurated International Centre for Foot and Mouth Disease (ICFMD) built at a cost of Rs 200 crore at Arugul on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The one-of-its-kind research centre in South Asia, will help analyse exotic virus strains in order to develop diagnostics and vaccines to prevent their incursion(घुसपैठ). In his address, the minister said development and upliftment of farmers, who are backbone of the country, is the first priority of the government and the aim is to double the income of farmers by 2022. “Since foot and mouth diseases an infectious(संक्रामक) and sometimes fatal viral disease (घातक वायरल रोग) that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovids, such a research centre will be beneficial to find out the remedies (उपचार) for the disease. This is 10th in the world and it is dedicated to the nation on the occasion of Utkal Divas, the formation day of Odisha,” he said. Established by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the state-of-the-art research centre with high containment (रोकथाम) laboratory facility will cater to the need of researchers and scientists for safe handling of FMD virus as per international norms. 

Though 70 countries have eradicated the disease successfully, it is still endemic in India and has a direct bearing on the rural economy and farmers who depend on the cattle for eke out their living.

Stating that India is number one in milk production in the world, Singh said the production will increase further and the loss of nearly Rs 23,000 crore per annum will be prevented if the disease is controlled and eliminated. “The government will provide Rs 600 crore more to the centre for equipment and research,” he added.

The economic losses caused by the disease are mainly due to the loss in milk production and reduction in the working ability of the animals. Export is hampered because countries free from the disease refuse to accept milk and its products, meat and hide from the country.

Among others, State agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy, project director Dr B Pattnaik and senior officials of ICAR were present on the occasion. A souvenir was released on this occasion. 

Definitions of incursion घुसपैठ

noun

an invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one.

incursions into enemy territory

synonyms: attack on, assault on, raid on, invasion of, storming of, overrunning of, foray into, blitz on, sortie into, sally into/against, advance on/into, push into, thrust into, infiltration of