Oil-seeds

 

            Among the oil-seeds grown in the district, the most important are sesamum and rape and mustard.  Sesamum is sown either as a pure crop or mixed with other crops, particularly crops, particularly cotton, jowar, bajra and mash.  It is sown in June-July and harvested in October-November.

Vegetables. -  Agro-climatically, the Gurdaspur District, the most suitable for the production of almost all the vegetables.  Bring near to the hilly areas, the whether is comparatively mild as compared to the rest of the Punjab districts except Hoshiarpur and Ropar.  This mild temperature is conductive for the better quality of vegetables that are grown in the district. In order to increase the area and production of vegetables, a Potato and Vegetable Seed Farm was started by the Government at Gurdaspur in the district in 1974-75.

 

The total area under vegetable in the district, in 1971072, was 1,344 hectares.  The following vegetables are shown in the district: -

 

Summer Vegetable..     Musk-melon (sarda kharbuza), water-melon (tarbuz), long-melon (tar), bitter-gourd (karela), bottle gourd (ghia kaddu), brinjal (baingan), lady finger (bhindi), squash melon (tinda), ah-gourd (petha), pumpkin (halwa kaddu), vegetable marrom (chapan kaddu), cucumber (khira), sponge-gourd (ghia), radge-gourd (kali tori) and chilli (mirch).

 

Winter Vegetables..      Radish (muli), carrot (gajar), turnip (shalgam), peas (matar), onion (piaz), cauliflower (phul gobhi), cabbage (band gobhi), knol-khol (gandh gobhi), potato (alu) and spinach (palak).               

 

            Fruit Crops and Gardens.-     Importance of fruits in the human diet is universally recognized.  These are not chief sources of vitamins without which the human body cannot maintain proper health and resistance to diseases.  Cultivation of fruits, thus, contributes to the health, happiness and prosperity of the people.  From the economic pint of view too, fruit-growing is of a considerable importance.  With a small area devoted to the growing of fruits, the farmers can earn a better living than by putting it under farm crops.

 

            Fruits like mango, loquat, litchi and grapes ate grown int he district.  The area under fruits in the district, during 1971-72, was 116 hectares. 

 

            To encourage grape cultivation, loans upto the Rs. 3,000 per acre are advanced to the cultivators.  The amount of loans, thus, advanced in the district, from 1967-68 to 1971-72, is given hereunder:

 

 

            

Year

 

Amount of loans advanced for grape cultivation (Rs.)

1967-68

..

3,000

1968-69

..

12,000

1969-70

..

18,000

1970-71

..

30,000

1971-72

..

25,00

 

            (Source: Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur)

 

(iii) Improved Agricultural Practices

 

            Improved agricultural practices such as Japanese method of rice cultivation, crop rotation, better use of fertilizers and manures, deep ploughing, sowing of crops according to pora method, trench-sowing of sugarcane, use of improved furnaces for gur making, etc., and installation of tube-wells and pumping-sets play a vital role to augment production.

 

            Another important innovation in the agricultural sector four achieving a rise in agricultural production is the introduction of high-yielding varieties of various crops. The high-yielding of different crops sown in the district are given below:

 

Name of crop

 

Variety

Paddy

..

Jaya, I.R.-8, Palman-579, Basmati-370

Wheat

..

Kalyan Sona-227, S-308, P.V. 18, R.R. 21

Maize

..

Vijay, Hybrid Maize

Sugarcane

..

Co. j.46, Co. L.29, Co.1148, Co.312

Gram

..

C-235

Potato

..

Up-to-date

             

  

        The area under high-yielding varieties of rice, maize and wheat in the district, during 1971-72,was 50,1 and 84 thousand hectares respectively.

 

            The percentage of area under high-yielding varieties to total cropped area in the district for rice, maize and wheat, during 1969-70 to 1971-72, is given below :

 

Name of crop

 

Percentage of area under high-yielding varieties to the cropped area in the Gurdaspur District

 

 

1969-70

1970-71

1971-72

Rice

..

21.33

28.75

60.98

Maize

..

6.25

5.56

2.78

Wheat

..

57.55

64.54

59.57

(Statistical Hand Book, Punjab, 1972-72)

 

(iv) Farmers Training Camps. -  Farmers Training Camps are organised for kharif and rabi seasons every year at district, block and village levels, where farmers are trained in modern scientific methods of agriculture.  Besides, agricultural shows are held on the occasions of block melas and on the arrival of distinguished visitors.

 

(v) Agricultural Co-operatives, - The Government of India appointed in 1901 a committee under the presidentship of Edward Law to study the question of starting co-operative societies on the Rainffesion model.  The Famine Committee of 1901 also recommended the organization of Mutual Credit Associations.  It was in pursuance of these recommendations that the Co-operative Credits Societies Act, 1904, was passed by the Government of India.  Its main object was to tackle the problem of agricultural credit.  But the act gave no, legal protection to societies for purposes other than credit or to the central agencies, banks and unions which were gradually coming in to existence to finance and supervise the primary credit societies.  To remedy these defects, the Co-operative Societies Act of 1912 was passed.  This Act authorised the formation of societies other than credit, and also the formation of central financing agencies with limited liability.4   

 

(1)  Primary Agricultural Credit / Service Societies. – The agriculturist requires funds for three reasons ; firstly, to meet the expenses of cultivation and to support himself and his family till harvesting and sale of his produce ; secondly, for purchasing costly agricultural machines, land and for the redemption of his prior debts.  These are respectively called short-term, medium-term and long-term loans, for, in the first case, the debts can be paid off soon after the sale of his produce ; in the second case, it is convenient for him to pay it off gradually in a few years time say three to five; and, in the third case, the loans are comparatively large and may run for decades.  In the Punjab State, the short-term and medium-term credit structure is based on a three tier system, i.e., Apex Co-operative Bank at the State level, Central Co-operative Banks at the district/tahsil level and Primary Agricultural Credit/Service Societies at the village level.  The major objectives of the

 

 


            4. K.P. Bhatnagar, Co-operation in India and Abroad (Kanpur, 1958), pp.255-258,327

 

 

primary agricultural credit/service societies are to supply agricultural credit, to meet the requirement of funds for agricultural production, distribution of essential consumer commodities, provision of storage and marketing facilities and for light agricultural implements and machinery.

 

            The Punjab State Co-operative Land Mortgage Bank at the State level and the primary co-operative and mortgage banks at the district/tahsil level advance loans to the farmers for long-term purposes.

 

            The first Agricultural Co-operative Credit Society in the Gurdaspur District was registered in 1906 in the village of Bhaini Milwan (TahsilGurdaspur).  By March in that year, there were 65 societies at work and from the beginning they promised well, their foundation being in all cases due to the intelligent and spontaneous approval of the people.  The Batala and Gurdaspur tahsils led the way and the history of their societies was one of unbroken progress.  Up to 1909 the societies, though among the best in the then province, did not increase in number.  In the year 1909-10, however, no less than 97 new societies were founded.  By July, 1911, the number of societies in the district had reached 202.  After the independence, the movement gained momentum with the passage of the Punjab Co-operative Societies Acts of 1954 and 1961.  On June 30,1972, there were 1,238 agricultural co-operative credit societies in the district, with a membership of 119,186.  The loans advanced during the same year amounted to Rs.328.37 lakhs and the deposit to Rs 43.02 lakhs.

 

(2)  Agricultural Non-Credit Societies. – The  Co-operative Credit Societies Act of 1912 brought the non-credit side of the movement also into its fold and thus non-credit co-operatives were brought into existence.  The agricultural non-credit societies encourage a spirit of mutual help, fellowship and co-operation among their participants and also serve the non-credit needs of the rural community.  The World War II (1939-45) came as a heaven-sent boon in regard to the development of non-credit aspect of the co-operative movement.

 

The principal forms of agricultural non-credit societies are: co-operative marketing societies, better farming societies, consolidation of holdings, societies, co-operative farming societies, joint farming and collective farming societies, co-operative milk supply societies, poultry societies, fisheries societies, piggeries societies and miscellaneous agricultural societies.

 

The number of agricultural non-credit societies in the district was 162 in 1971-72.

 

Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Societies

           

            Co-operative marketing constitute a significant part of agricultural co-operation.  To a farmer, who is conscious of his economic interest, a marketing co-operative is an important as a co-operative providing agricultural production credit.  The need for co-operative marketing arises from a variety of factors.  In the first place, various malpractices prevail in the system of agricultural marketing, such as arbitrary deductions from the price of the produce, manipulation of weights and sales and collusion between the broker and the buyers.  In the past, some of these malpractices were rampant on a wide scale and 1938, the Royal Commission on Agriculture was constrained to refer to them as, nothing less than theft”.  Since than, the situation has somewhat improved on account of various measures such as the introduction of statutory regulation of markets.5            

 

            There is the Punjab State Co-operative Supply and Marketing Federation (MARKFED) at the Sate level, wholesale societies at the district level and marketing societies at the market level.

           

            In 1971-72, there were 8 agricultural co-operative marketing societies in the district, with a total membership of 4,368 (3,223 individuals and 1,145 societies).    

 

Co-operative Farming Societies

            A co-operative framing society is a voluntary organisation based on the ideals of self-help and mutual aid.  The main features of co-operative farming are that (a) land is formed into single unit; (b) proprietorship rests with the individuals; (c) Management carried on jointly; (d)  the members are paid for their work; and (e)  the net profits are distributed among the members after withholding something for building up resources.  This facilitates a more rational use of resources, economies of scale of scientific methods of agriculture.6          

 

            Co-operative farming is, in a sense, an extension of the concept of joint-family system to agriculture.  The members come forward to organize the society of their own free will.  Even though the members work together, they retain the individuality of their family and kitchen.  In 1971-72, there were 87 co-operative farming societies in the district.7    

 

Other Societies

Beside the above, there are a number of other Co-operative societies in the agricultural and allied fields.  Their number in the district in 1971-72 was as under: -

 

_______________________________________________________________

                5. Sahakari Samaj, A Symposium on the Co-operative Movement in India (Issued in 1962 on behalf of the Ministry of Community Development, Panchayati Raj and Co-operation, Government of India, Delhi), p. 113

            6. Ibid., p.99

            7. P.C. Jain, Agriculture and Co-operative in India (Allahabad, 1959), p. 80   

 

Serial No.

Type of Societies

 

Number (1971-72)

1

Co-operative Poultry Societies

..

54

2

Co-operative Piggeries Societies

..

1

3

Co-operative Collective Farming Societies

..

3

4

Co-operative Better Farming Societies

..

2

5

Co-operative Milk Supply Societies

..

31

6

Co-operative Irrigation Societies

..

7

7

Co-operative Housing Societies

..

47

 

            (Source : Assistant  Registrar Co-operative Societies, Gurdaspur)

 

(vi)  Progress of Scientific Agriculture

 

            Agricultural production can be increased either by extensive cultivation or by intensive cultivation.  Extensive cultivation is possible by bringing large areas under cultivation by claiming waste lands, fallow lands, etc.  Intensive cultivation consist of applying scientific methods in cultivation, provision of better seeds evolved throw agricultural research, and use of improved implements, chemical fertilizers, etc.

 

            Agricultural Implements: - Improved agricultural implements play a vital role in increasing agricultural production.  Through the operation of the schemes of demonstration and popularization of agriculture implements, quality marking of agricultural marking of agricultural implements, and concession and loans allowed on implements, and big machines, there has been a significant increase in the adoption of improved implements.  The wooden plough has been completely replaced by the iron plough, the pneumatic tyre cart has been taken the place of wooden wheel.  Improved types of implements like furrow-turning ploughs, kisan-hoe, single row cotton drill, disc-harrows, bar-harrors, corn-planter, etc., have become very popular among the farmers.  The increasing demand for the power wheat thrashers of different types ha almost revolutionized the traditional system of trashing of wheat under the feet of bullocks. The tractors are also replacing the bullocks.  There has been a great spurt in the demand for tractors in the Gurdaspur District where their number (as on June30) rose from 234 in 1966 to 1,637 in 1972.8                        

 

            The old types of agricultural implements still in common use are desi, plough, sohaga (wooden plank), ramba (hoe), datri (sickle), kassi (spade), and panjali (yoke).

 

            The main agricultural implements produced in the district are wheat-thrashers, maize-thrashers, disc-harrow, seed-cum-fertilizer drills and ploughs of various kinds.

 

            Seeds.-    The development of agricultural depends to a great extent on agricultural inputs of which seeds from the most important part.  Improved seed is defined to be one that gives a minimum higher yield of at least 10 per cent to 15 per cent over the local seed.  An improvement seed possesses high-yielding propensity and superiority over the local variety.  The Punjab Improved Seeds and Seedling Act, 1950, provides for the use of pure and certified seeds and seedling recommended by the Department of Agriculture and makes it incumbent on cultivators in any notified area, to use only improved varieties of seeds stored by the authorised agents.

 

            In 1971-72, there were seven seed farms in the district at Gurdaspur, Sohal, Thanewal, Hayat Nagar in Tahsil Gurdaspur and Kishankot, Chandke, Ghaniya Ki Bangar in Tahsil Batala.

 

            Crop Rotation.- If the same crop is grown in the field, it exhausts the soil of particular nutrients taken up to by the crop and the soil becomes deficient in that particular constituent.  If another crop which uses different type of nutrients is sown, the fertility of that field will not go down and the new crop will give good yield.  Suitable crop rotations thus help in maintaining the soil fertility.

 

            The crop rotations generally followed are: maize-wheat-fodder; maize-gram-cotton; maize-wheta-guara; paddy-wheat; bajra-gram; guara-wheat; senji-sugarcane; and fallow-sugarcane.

           

            Fallow Cultivation.-  By fallow land is meant the land from which one crop has been harvested and is left to rest until the next sowing.  Such lands are of two kinds, viz., ‘old fallows’ and ‘current fallows’.  Lands which after abandonment remain uncultivation over a long period are called ‘current fallows.’ Therefore, fallow cultivation means the cultivation of land which has thus rested. In the absence of organic manures and fertilizer, fallow cultivation is very important for replenishing the soil fertility reduced by the previous crop.

 

            With the extension of irrigation facilities and owing to the pressures on land, not much area is left fallow.  The extent of current fallows, however, depends on rains.  If rains are timely, maximum area is sown and a little is left fallow.        

 

            Fertilizers and Manures.-  Supply of suitable fertilizers and manures is one of the principal requirements for increasing the production by scientific methods. With every crop removed from the land, the soil is deleted of its fertility and this deficiency is made good by the supply of plant nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potash in balanced proportions.    

_______________________________________________________________

 

8.       Economic of Tractors Cultivation and Economic of Production and Cultivation Practices of High Yielding Varieties of Wheat, Maize and Paddy in Punjab (combined Report), 1969-70 to 1971-1972(Issued in 1974 in by the Economic Adviser to Government, Punjab, Chandigarh)

                  The village of Naushehra Maja Singh, Chuhar Chak and Chhina of Dhariwal Block of Gurdaspur Tahsil were included in the survey conducted for the preparation of the above report.

 

Chemical Fertilizers

 

                  Nitrogen phosphorus and potassium are important elements and are required in large quantity by crops.  These are most commonly deficient is soils.  Therefore, concentrated fertilizers of each of these nutrients and mixtures of single nutrient fertilizers are manufactured and applied to the soil to raise the fertility of the land.  In 1971-72, 32,767 tonnes of chemical fertilizers were sold in the Gurdaspur District.

 

Local Manurial Resources

            Rural Compost and Cattle-Dung Manure.-  Farmyard manure is the oldest manure used by mean ever since he took to agriculture.  It has stood the test of time and is still the most popular of all manures.  It consists mainly of vegetable substances mixed with animal dung and urine.  It , therefore, contains all the elements present in the plant itself and affords a very suitable means of restoring to the soil the ingredients removed from it by the crop.  The East Punjab Conservation of Manures Act, 1949 (Amended in 1950), provides for the setting up Manure Conservation Committees and empowers the State Government to notify particular areas for the purpose of conserving of manure and makes it incumbent on cultivators to take such measures as may be necessary for the purpose.  The Rural Compost Scheme was made permanent in the state in October 1966.

 

            In 1971-72, 8,89,120 metric tons of rural compost was prepared in the district.

 

            Green Manuring. – Green manuring is the only cheapest and the best practice for building up soil fertility.  Green manure supplies orgaine matter and nitrogen to the soils and is within the easy reach of farmers, particularly when other organic manures are scarce and costly.  The other advantages, which may be attributed to green manuring are improvement of the physical properties of the soil and conservation of moisture.  The most popular green manure crop is guara of cluster-bean, which flourishes in area of low rainfall and poor fertility.  The other green manure crops are dhaincha and sann-hemp.  Senji and berseem are also used as winter green manuring crops.  The scheme for the extension of green manuring in the State was initiated inApril 1961.  It aims at popularising the use of green manuring.  The area under green manuring in the district in 1971-72 was 28,904 hectares.

 

Town Compost and Sullage Utilization

 

Town Compost. – Human excreta, both solid and liquid, have high fertilizing value, greater than that of animal dung and urine.  Under town compost method, all towns wastes, like sweepings garbage, house-hold rubbish, night-soil, etc. are collected and allowed to decompose in trenches.  All these wastes when composted in trenches yield a first class, bulky, organic manure of high quality.  The manure so obtained is quite innocuous and safe to handle and apply to the soil. Town compost gives very high yields of crops grown under irrigation, e.g. vegetables, potatoes, sugarcane, rice, etc.  The scheme was introduced in the State in 1944.  In 1971-72, the municipalities in the district prepared 17,673 metric tonnes of urban compost.

 

            Sullage Utilization. – Sewage or sullage is also used for irrigating crops either as such or after dilution with water depending on the amount of solids in solution and suspension the raw sewage contains. Almost all crops have been found to benefit by sewage irrigation.  The benefit derived by crops is due to the water as well as the plant nutrients and organic matter supplied by the sewage

              

(iii)  Agricultural Insect-pests and Diseases and Obnoxious Weeds Insect-pests and Diseases. – Crop damages caused by natural calamities like floods, storms and droughts are occasional.  Stray cattle that cause damage can be prevented by proper fencing.  But pests and diseases are responsible for considerable loss of agricultural produce which must be controlled by scientific methods to relieve the acute shortage of food in the country.

 

            The scheme of plant protection was launched in the district in 1964-65.  Under the scheme, Plant Protection Inspectors.  Agricultural Sub-Inspectors, Beldars and Mechanics are employed to guide the cultivators as to how to escape from these diseases which mitigate agricultural productivity.

 

            The following are the major pests and diseases which damage crops, fruits and vegetables in the district :-

 

  Crop pests and disease

..

Sugarcane top-borer, sugarcane Gurdaspur-borer, sugarcane stem and root-borer, sugarcane pyrilla, rice grass hopper, rice bug, rice hispa, rice pansukh, cotton jassid, toka, ehite ants, aphis, loose smut of wheat, yellow rust of wheat, bunt ear cockle, caterpillar and cut worms, kutra hairy, maize borer, etc.

 

Fruit pests and diseases

..

Mango-hopper, citrus psylla, citrus, white-fly, citrus leaf miner, citrus caterpillar, guava fruit fly, citrus canker, citrus dieback, etc.

 

Vegetables pests

..

Potato and bhindi jassid, white fly, tubar moth and cut worms, cabbage butterfly, cater pillar, tobacco, cater pillar, cabbage aphis, brinjal hadda and bhindi fruit borer, tomato, caterpillar, etc.

 

Store grain pests

..

Khapra, susri rice moth, grain moth, dhora, etc.

Miscellaneous pests:

..

Field rates, jackals, sparrow, etc.

 

 

 

            Obnoxious Weeds. -  Weeds are plants which grow in places where they are not wanted.  They compete with crop plants for moisture, light and food nutrients, and, thus reduce the yield of the main crops.  They block drainage and irrigation channels and impede the flow of water in rivers and canals.  Weed also add to the cost of cultivation, impair the quality as well as reduce the market value of the farm produce and harbour insect. Fungal, and virus pests that attack crop plants.  Some weeds are poisonous to human beings and livestock.  The weeds which grow during summer are called kharif weeds, as motha or dila, bark grass, dabh or kusser grass, itset, bhakhra, and the weeds which grow during winter are called rabi weeds, as piazi, bathu pohli, maina, etc.

 

            Legislation has been enacted by the Government of India under the Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1941, for the protection of crops, seeds, seedings, etc.  from destructive inset-pests and fungal diseases, both indigenous and imported.  The Act also empowers the Government to prevent the introduction and transport, from one State to another, of any insect, fungus or other pest destructive to crops.  Under the East Punjab Agricultural Pests and Diseases and Obnoxious Weeds Act, 1949, offenders can be punished on conviction by a Magistrate with fine which may extend up to Rs 50, or in default a simple imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten days.  Notices are issued by Agricultural Inspectors to those cultivators who do not eradicate pohli weed by persuation before its maturing and defaulters are reported for legal action whenever necessary.

 

(viii) Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur. – In order to satisfy the technological requirements of various agro-climatic regions in the State, the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has set up a network of regional research stations and sub-stations.  Of the present five regional research stations of the University, the one at Gurdaspur was inherited by it at its formation in 1962.

 

The Experimental Station at Gurdaspur was established in 1910 for the needs of the submontane region extending from the Gurjat District in Pakistan to the Ambala District in India.  This region has high-rainfall and high-humidity conditions which are very congenial for the development and spread of fungal diseases of crops.  The research activities for about three decades were limited to the testing of crop varieties developed at Lyallpur (now in Pakistan), production of foundation seed and determination of agronomic and other cultural practices best suited for this area.

 

To strengthen research on the development of disease-resistant and high-yielding varieties of wheat and mash, a Cenreal Breeding Sub-Station, was started in 1941.  The work on crop improvement was progressively extended to rice, sugarcane, pulses, oilseeds, maize and desi cotton.  A skeleton staff representing soil science, entomology, pathology and horticulture was also provided in the 1930s and 1940s.  The research pertaining to different disciplines was under the technical control of the station remained with the Deputy Director of Agriculture, Punjab, till the establishment of the Punjab Agricultural University in 1962.

A new era in the history of the Research Station, Gurdaspur, began when it was upgraded to the status of a Regional Research Station and provided with a new building complex for office and laboratory work in 1974.

 

The main objective of this Regional Research Station is to develop improved varieties and practices for various field and horticultural crops for the submontane zone of the Punjab, comprising the districts of Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Ropar.  The salient features of research carried out at this station are the development and release of a number of improved varieties of field crops, selection and introduction of some promising varieties of fruit trees, classification of the soils, determination of the fertilizers needs and development of cultural practices for the important crops of the region.  The farmers of this region have been greatly benefited by these findings.

 

(d)  Animal Husbandry, Poultry and Fisheries

 

Outside the farmer’s family, there is nothing that fills so large a share of his though as his holding and livestock.  The importance of livestock in Indian agriculture is of great significance, as the land is of little use to the cultivator without the poor creatures that draw the plough and scratch the soil.  They are keystone in farming.  Therefore, in addition to crops, drought and milch stock are raised and maintained by an individual farmer.

 

Cattle are overwhelmingly the most important livestock.  Bullocks are the main source of motive power in agricultural operations and cows provide milk which is the main source of animal protein in the diet of the majority of the vegetarian ruralities.  Cattle are used for many functions such as ploughing, harrowing, threshing, harvesting, lifting water and transporting the produce to the market.  Besides, they replenish the field with organic manure and yield hides and skins which earn a good amount of foreign exchange9.

 

The following table shows the number of livestock in the district from 1920 to 1972 :-

_______________________________________________________________

 

9.  Jasbir Singh, An Agricultural Atlas of India, A Geographical Analysis (Kurukshetra, 1974) pp 263, 274

 

Livestock and Poultry in the Gurdaspur District, 1920 to 1972

                                                                                                            (hundreds)

 

Particulars

 

1920

1940

1961

1966

1972

1  Livestock

..

7,333

7,944

5,262

6,577

6,761

Cattle

..

4,037

3,761

2,863

3,444

3,414

Buffaloes

..

1,995

2,763

1,931

2,452

2,582

Horses   and Ponies

..

164

160

84

87

93

Donkeys

..

117

124

40

20

34

Mules

..

13

12

14

12

24

Sheep

..

50

236

139

260

269

Goats

..

954

876

177

287

325

Camels

..

4

5

1

2

2

Pigs

 

..

6

12

13

18

2  Poultry

..

..

943

1,091

1,662

1,966

 

(Census of India, 1961, Punjab, District Census Handbook, No. 14, Gurdaspur District, p. 77; Statistical Abstracts of Punjab, 1972 and 1974)

 

            At the district level, there is District Animal Husbandry Officer at Gurdaspur who is under the administrative control of the Project Officer, Intensive Cattle Development Project, Amritsar.  The office of the District Animal Husbandry Officer, Gurdaspur, was established in about 1947.

 

(i)                 Animal Health Wing and Animal Breeding Wing 

 

At the district level, the Animal Husbandry Department comprises two wings, viz. Animal Health Wing under the charge of the District Animal Husbandry Officer, Gurdaspur, and Animal-Breeding Wing, under the charge of the Assistant Director, Key Village Scheme, Amritsar.

 

      Animal Health Wing. –It is under the charge of the District Animal Husbandry Officer, Gurdaspur, who is assisted by 26 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, 16 Veterinary Compounders, 8 Stock Assistants and 30 miscellaneous Class IV employees.

 

      The main activities of this wing are: treatment of sick animals control and prevention of contagious disease amongst animals; castration of useless male stock for improvement of         ; supply of bulls of improved breeds; maintenance of stallion for horse and mule breeding in the district and holding of cattle shows and awarding of medals, prizes and certificates to top quality animals for the encouragement of improved breeding.  These activities are carried out through 21 veterinary hospitals and 19 permanent outlaying veterinary dispensaries.

           

            Animals Breeding Wing.-  The breeding work in the Gurdaspur District is looked after by the Assistant Director, Key Village Scheme, Amritsar.  In order to improve the indigenous cattle in their milk production and quality, the breeding operations are carried out by obtaining fresh semen from the Artificial insemination centres where tested bulls are kept.

 

            The main activities of this wing are:  provision of fresh semen of exotic Jersey bulls and local breeds of cattle from the Batala, Fatehgarh, Churian and Gurdaspur Artificial Insemination Centres; establishment of Key Village Blocks with a number of Key Village Units for the improvement of cow-breed through artificial insemination, supply of seeds to the bona-fide breeders at subsidized rates for the improvement of fodder crops; and provision of funds for organising calf relies for giving incentive to the breeders to look after their young calves.  These activities are carried through 3 Key Village Blocks, under the charge of trained Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, and 26 Key Village Units, under the charge of trained Stock Assistant.  Top quality bulls are maintained at the Key Village Blocks and Key Village Units for natural service.  The particulars of these institutions for artificial insemination in the district are as under:

 

Key Village Block/ Artificial Insemination Centre

 

Date of opening

Key Village Units attached

Villages covered

Batala

..

9th March, 1995

1. Dabhawala

49

 

..

 

2. Hardo Jhanda

 

 

..

 

3.  Masanian

 

 

..

 

4.  jaito Sarja

 

 

 

 

5.  Satkoha

 

 

..

 

6.Pakharpurah (Amritsar District)

 

Fatehgarh Churian..

..

1960

1.  Khera

100

 

 

 

2.  Kala-Afghanan

 

 

 

 

3.  Dhianpur

 

 

 

 

4.  Willa Teja

 

Key Village Block/ Artificial Insemination Centre

 

Date of opening

Key Village Units attached

Villages covered

 

 

 

5.  Raliali

 

 

 

 

6.  Nikkor-Sarai

 

 

 

 

7.  Bhoma

 

 

 

 

8.  Dargawal

 

 

 

 

9.  Wiram (Amritsar District)

 

 

 

 

10. Mohan Bandari (Amritsar District)

 

Gurdaspur

..

1st June, 1967

1.  Hayatnagar

 

 

 

 

2.  Jaura Chatran

 

 

 

 

3.  Babri

 

 

 

 

4.  Babbe Mali

 

 

 

 

5. Bhumbi

 

 

 

 

6.  Kahnuwan

 

 

 

 

7.  Gohot Pokhar

 

 

 

 

8.  Dhamral

 

 

 

 

9.  Paniar

 

 

 

 

10.  Tibri

 

 

 

            Development of Gaushalas. -  Each Gaushala is provided by the Government with a certain number of animals of improved breed and is required to secure an equal number from its own resources.  This scheme was introduced in the Punjab during 1956-57 under the Second Five –Year Plan.  There are two gaushalas in the district at Batala and Talibpur Pindori.

           

            Cattle Fairs and Shows. – In 1967, the Punjab Government nationalized the cattle fairs throughout the State by promulgating the Punjab Cattle Fairs (Regulations) Ordinance, subsequently replaced by the Punjab Cattle Fairs (Regulation) Act of 1967.  in each district, a Cattle Fair Officer with necessary supporting staff has been provided to organise cattle fairs in the district.  These fairs and shows serve a very useful purpose by bringing the breeds and buyers in direct touch, besides bringing handsome income to the authorities.  In the Gurdaspur District,  cattle fairs and shows are held at Batala, Gurdaspur, Fatehgarh Churian, Dinanagar and Malikpur.  Of all these, the Batala cattle fair is the most important one.  It is a good source of income to the State. 

 

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