Uttarakhand chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami launched ‘A-HELP’ which stands for Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production programme in Uttarakhand. He said that women have been crucial to the development of the livestock sector especially in Uttarakhand. The programme was successfully piloted in Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering at Survey of India Auditorium Dehradun, the chief minister said, “implementation of various schemes being run by state and central governments is not possible without active participation of women. Already mid-day meal and vaccination programs are being successfully operated by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and women in anganwadis and schools.” In this context, women have been chosen to strengthen livestock related activities in remote rural areas, keeping in mind their important role for the same under the A-HELP scheme, envisioned by the government of India.
आज देहरादून में पशुपालन विभाग द्वारा आयोजित पशु सखी प्रशिक्षण कार्यक्रम का शुभारंभ किया। यह हमारे लिए गर्व का विषय है कि उत्तराखण्ड राज्य पशु सखी ट्रेनिंग प्रोग्राम शुरू करने वाला देश का तीसरा राज्य बन गया है। pic.twitter.com/DuDDVqv3pK
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (Modi Ka Parivar) (@pushkardhami) April 12, 2023
This programme will employ trained A-HELPs to prevent numerous animal infectious diseases, perform artificial insemination for Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), tag animals, and provide animal insurance. He further said that “it will be an incomparable example of incorporation and involvement of women power, for socio-economic upliftment.”
The concept of A-HELP was described by Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary Cattle & Dairy Div, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, & Dairying, Government of India, who also praised the state government for being one of the best states with a thriving livestock sector. She continued by saying that the Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production (A-HELP) group of community-based workers was established to bridge the gap between local veterinary clinics and livestock owners and offer essential services.
Joshi stated that under RGM, programmes for improving cattle breeds will be carried out with the assistance of several skilled A-HELP employees who are willing to perform artificial insemination by providing them additional training. In addition to other interventions, these A-HELP employees will play a crucial role in the implementation of the Livestock Insurance scheme. For these interventions, they will get compensation as per the provisions of the scheme, which will help in providing them some income and financial security.
An MoU was signed by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which is a division of the Department of Rural Development (DoRD), Government of India, to start the novel initiative. The primary responsibility of an A-HELP worker is to address the healthcare needs of the livestock population in a village.