Fill Vacant Posts in Animal Husbandry Department and Expedite New Schemes: Minister Pankaja Munde

Minister Reviews Department in Detail to Strengthen Rural Economy

Mumbai, May 2026: Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde has directed officials to immediately fill vacant posts in the Animal Husbandry Department to speed up administrative work and modernize veterinary infrastructure in rural areas.

A detailed review meeting of the Animal Husbandry Department was held at the मंत्रालय under the chairmanship of Minister Pankaja Munde to strengthen the animal husbandry sector, considered the backbone of the rural economy, and to improve the economic condition of livestock farmers. Animal Husbandry Secretary Ramaswamy N., Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr. Kiran Patil, and other senior officials were present at the meeting.

Several important decisions were taken regarding follow-up action after granting “agriculture status” to the animal husbandry sector, implementation of new schemes, and recruitment for vacant posts in the department. Officials were instructed to ensure faster execution of departmental work.

The animal husbandry sector has recently been granted the status of an “agriculture sector.” Following this historic decision, livestock farmers and cultivators will now be able to more easily avail benefits similar to those provided to the agriculture sector, including subsidies, loans, and government schemes. Minister Pankaja Munde directed officials to conduct an in-depth review of how this decision can be effectively implemented at the grassroots level and how technical and administrative difficulties can be resolved quickly.

She stated that the decision would significantly boost dairy farming and poultry farming in rural areas.

The Minister also emphasized strengthening veterinary hospitals in rural areas, expanding mobile veterinary clinics, and developing essential infrastructure for animal healthcare. She instructed officials to ensure that the machinery works more efficiently so that the benefits of new government schemes reach beneficiaries without delay.

Vacant Posts to Be Filled Immediately

To improve the efficiency of the department and ensure timely services for livestock farmers, Minister Pankaja Munde directed officials to review vacancies across various cadres and complete the recruitment process on priority. She said the move would create employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth and improve the quality of veterinary services in rural areas.

She stressed that development of the livestock sector is essential to strengthen the rural economy. With the grant of “agriculture status,” the sector has received fresh momentum, and all schemes must now be implemented in a transparent and speedy manner.

Key Points Discussed in the Meeting

• Focus on increasing livestock farmers’ income and transforming the rural economy
• Ensuring government schemes reach the last beneficiary
• Modernization of veterinary hospitals and treatment facilities
• Filling vacant posts to accelerate departmental functioning

Minister Pankaja Munde said, “With animal husbandry now receiving the status of an agriculture sector, our livestock farmers and cultivators will truly become empowered. Our main objective is not to keep schemes limited to paper, but to ensure they rapidly reach the last beneficiary. I have instructed officials to urgently fill vacant posts and modernize veterinary infrastructure in rural areas. We are committed to ensuring that this department becomes not merely a government department, but an economic pillar for every household in rural Maharashtra.”