Date:01/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/01/stories/2005040107840400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Veterinary varsity Bill passed

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 31. The Sri Venkateswara Veterinary Sciences University Bill 2005 was passed in the Assembly on Thursday amid a walkout by the Bharatiya Janata Party member, G. Kishan Reddy, protesting against diversion of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam funds for the new varsity.

All the political parties, barring the BJP, welcomed the establishment of the veterinary varsity. The bill facilitates establishment of an exclusive veterinary sciences university in Tirupati by bifurcating it from the Acharya N. G. Ranga Agriculture University, Hyderabad. The Animal Husbandry Minister, Gollapalli Surya Rao, told the Assembly that the new varsity would ensure better research work and go a long way in taking care of the huge livestock and milch animals.

Mr. Surya Rao assured the Telangana Rashtra Samiti member, S. Ramalinga Reddy, that the veterinary sciences faculty currently functioning from the premises of the agriculture university here would not be shifted.

Veterinary polytechnics

The Government would consider enhancement of seats in the veterinary science courses. Five veterinary polytechnics would be established this year. The Minister said that Rs. 5 crores worth of medicines would be procured for sheep and other animals.

The BJP member, Kishan Reddy, opposed diversion of funds to the tune of Rs. 214 crores from the Agriculture University and another Rs. 33 crores from the TTD. The CPI (M) member, N. Narsimhaiah, wanted mobile veterinary centres in all mandals.