Northern spring:

North to get 70 dairy villages

Seventy dairy villages will be set-up in the North under the Vadakkin Vasantham program.

Ten dairy villages will be set-up in Jaffna while 15 will be set up in Mannar 15 in Vavuniya, 15 in Kilinochchi and 15 in Mullaitivu. Livestock Resources Development Minister C. B. Ratnayake said several 180 day short period projects have been implemented under the Vadakkin Vasantham (Northern Spring) concept.

A special task force has been established under the patronage of Livestock Resources Development, Ministry Secretary Sunimal Senaratne.

The Minister said the provision of sheds for stray cattle under the initial program has been completed while steps have also been taken to reconstruct milk collecting centres to restore collection of milk, destroyed during the war. Arrangements have also been made to provide training in animal husbandry for farmers in Jaffna, Vavuniya and Mannar, while poultry farming for 5,000 families and goat farming for 200 families have also been co-ordinated.

Steps have also been taken to construct and re-establish veterinary offices and re-establish dairy farms societies and self-administered dairy farm societies in the Northern region. Arrangements have been made to rehabilitate deserted youth who were engaged in the battle-field, and give them training in animal husbandry.

This program will also be implemented in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, once the IDPs are resettled.

Under medium period project, 19 new Veterinary Offices with quarters, three livestock research centres, strengthening of the training centre at Vavuniya, six milk collecting and refrigerating centres with huge capacity and 20 with less capacity will be established.

Under the establishment of livestock breeding farms, 50 buffaloes and cattle breeding farms, 20 goat breeding farms too will be established. Ten vehicles will also be provided to Veterinary Offices.