A meeting was held between Gujarat State Veterinary Council and Animal Husbandry department in December last year to discuss the viability of having a veterinary university. It was planned to breach the topic in the General Assembly meeting on February 17, 2009, but it is less likely to happen in this meeting. The reason: the Law department is yet to examine the report, said Arun Sutaria, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Cow Breeding and Fisheries, Gujarat.

N T Mehta, president of the Gujarat State Veterinary Council, said, “Gujarat was the first state to propose a veterinary university in 1990. In fact, even an ordinance had been passed to start Kamdhenu University in the state. But due to some reason, the plan did not materialise.”

All the seven veterinary universities in the country came up after 1990, said Mehta, adding, “While states like Karnataka and West Bengal have less livestock as compared to Gujarat, these states have developed universities.” He added, “Veterinary University of Madras is the frontrunner in this. Several important points had been discussed during the meeting that drew inspiration from this varsity.” Animal husbandry alone contributes four per cent to the GDP, excluding draft animal power, i.e., sustainable farming, forestry and the use of horses, mule and cattle, Mehta said. There are four veterinary colleges running in Gujarat: at Anand Agriculture University, Dantiwada Agriculture University, Fisheries Institute at Veraval and in Navsari Agriculture University.

The Strengths

Livestock

Jafarabadi buffalo, Bunny. Mehsani, Surati

Indigenous Cattle: Kankrej and Gir

Sheep: Marwadi and Patanwadi

Camel: Kutchi and Marwadi

1,600-km coastline that allows fishery development

Source: N T Mehta, president,