Question : CONTROL OF ANIMAL DISEASES

(a) whether the Union Government provides funds to various States under the programme Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD);

(b) if so, the funds allocated and released by the Union Government to various States during the last three years and current year, State-wise;

(c) whether the Union Government has received a request from the State Government of Maharashtra to release the fund under the said programme for the year 2014-15; and

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which the fund is likely to be released by the Union Government?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) and (b). The funds are provided to various StatesAJTs under the programme `Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases` (ASCAD), a component of Centrally Sponsored Scheme `Livestock Health & Disease Control` in order to supplement efforts of State Governments for preventive vaccination of animals, strengthening of Disease Diagnostic Laboratories and Biological Production Units, carrying out training programmes for veterinarians and para-veterinarians, awareness programmes and surveillance activities. This is basically a demand driven scheme and funds are released to the States as per annual action plans furnished by them under the provisions of the scheme and status of utilization of funds already released. The funds released by the Government to various states during the last three years and current year are given in Annexure.

(c) and (d). A proposal has been received from the State Government of Maharashtra to release the fund under the said programme for the year 2014-15 which has been examined and considered for release of funds.