3 small States lag in NAIP fund spending

Artificial Insemination

- States with backlogs with artificial insemination (AI) data

- Govt sets target for pregnancy diagnosis, ear tagging

- Directs all States to provide district-wise validation reports

- AP, K'taka say lack of proper terminology for AI creating problems

New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh and Mizoram are small States, but they account for the largest unspent funds of the Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) - Rs618 crore and Rs557.32 crore, respectively. The third State with the largest unspent fund of Rs161 crore, is also not very big, Jammu &Kashmir (J&K).

In fact, the total unspent funds of these three States are more than those of all other States' put together, official sources told Bizz Buzz. Among other States, only Andhra Pradesh's unspent NAIP funds are in triple digits, Rs113.65 crore.

In a video conference recently, the Additional Secretary concerned in the Union Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying interacted with officials from States and Union Territories (UTs). The Centre urged States to increase the pace of NAIP implementation.

It was suggested that all backlogs with regard to artificial insemination (AI) data, pregnancy diagnosis, ear tagging, and calves born under NAIP Phase-II should be completed on an immediate basis. All states were also requested to provide district-wise validation reports in order to conduct detailed analysis.

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka pointed out that the lack of proper terminology for AI is creating problems in data validation, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the NAIP on September 11, 2019, to cover 600 districts, including aspirational districts as identified by the NITI Aayog has picked.