History of the Department

• GENESIS

1. Lord Mayo, Vice Roy of India appointed a Commission in 1868 to report on Cattle diseases in India and the measures required for their prevention and cure. The report of the Commission included a recommendation to form Provincial Veterinary Establishments.
2. Lord Hartington, as Secretary of State for India,in his dispatch No.21,dated 20th April,1882 urged that the then newly constituted Department of Agriculture should give early and careful attention to the subject of cattle diseases and that comprehensive measures should be taken in co-operation with Local Governments to deal with it.
3. A Committee in its meeting held at Calcutta in 1883 recommended the formation of a Civil Veterinary Department for the whole of the country. A further Conference in 1885 taking advantage of certain reductions which were then contemplated in the Army Veterinary Department ,suggested the utilization of Army Officers coming under reduction for this purpose.(Government of India, Finance and Commerce Department dispatch No.137,dated 5th May,1904 to the Secretary of State accompanying Government of Bombay Resolution,Revenue Department No.6942,dated 10th September,1904).
4. In a meeting held at Delhi in April, 1888,the constitution and functions of a Civil Veterinary Department were finalized. The meeting was convened with the concurrence of Local Governments and Administrations,Civil & Military Departments were suitably represented at the meeting. The formation of a Civil Veterinary Department thus took final shape. The recommendations of the Conference were:-
   • That the Horse Breeding Department should be transferred to the Civil Authorities;
   • That each province should possess one or more Veterinary Officers for educational and administrative duties;
   • That the 4 Officers of the Horse Breeding Department as well as other Veterinary Officers employed in the province should be supplied from the Military Veterinary Department,and be promoted to one cadre;
   • That the strength of the Military Veterinary Department should be suitably increased to maintain the requisite supply;
     
   • That the Officers should receive their promotions on the military cadre plus staff allowance for special appointments;
   • That the Administrative Veterinary Officers in each province should perform Veterinary work whether relating to horse or cattle,
   • That the whole Civil staff should be made available to the Military Department in the event of serious war.
   • (Government of India, Revenue and Agriculture Department Circular No.80-HB-C/29-5,dated 19th October,1889).
5. A Civil Veterinary Department was thus formed in the Bombay Presidency with Capt. J.W.A. Morgan as the 1st Officer, designated "Superintendent",Civil Veterinary Department,Bombay Presidency to hold the post from 20th May,1892.
   [(i)Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.4992,dated 15thJune,1892 and ii)Government Resolution,Revenue Department No.6425,dated 10th August,1892].
6. Prior to the establishment of the Civil Veterinary Department,headed by Superintendent for the Veterinary work of the Bombay Presidency,the major Veterinary Activity in the Presidency was the Horse Breeding Operations and the work was looked after by the Superintendent,Horse Breeding Operations,placed by the Military Department in the Bombay Presidency with Head Quarters at Ahmednagar. This was to ensure requisite supply of horses for the Indian Cavalry Units and the Police Department. His jurisdiction extended to Sindh, Baluchistan and adjoining native States.
7. Duties of Veterinary Department :- The duties of Civil Veterinary Department were classified under three major heads as follows:-
   
   1. Horse Breeding,
   2. Animal diseases and
   3. Veterinary education.
   4. (Government of India in Revenue and Agriculture Department Resolution No.26/133, dated 4th July,1893).
8. The post of Superintendent, Horse Breeding Operation in the Presidency was abolished subsequent to allotment of the subject of Horse Breeding to the Superintendent ,Civil Veterinary Department.
   (Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.6425, dated 10th August,1892 ).
9. Veterinary College was already established at Mumbai in the year 1886 on an estate at Parel,( Sewri Road) presented by Sir Dinshaw Maneckjee Petit Bart, to the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, Bombay, and worked in conjunction with the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for animals of the aforesaid society which placed the site and buildings on the estate at the disposal of the Government for the use of the Bombay Veterinary College on the following conditions :-
   • That the teaching staff of the College be provided and paid for by the Government.
   • The buildings maintained in proper condition ,
   • Teaching staff should treat all the animals sent to or collected by the society at the hospital and
   • That the nominal rent of Re.one is paid for the premises. The purpose of establishment of Veterinary College was to provide Veterinary education. The college,like the Civil Veterinary Department, was also headed by an Officer of the Military Department viz.,Mr.J.H.Steel, as Principal.
   • (Government Resolution,Revenue Department
   • No.4002, dated 25th May,1883,
   • No.5806, dated 6th August,1883.
   • No.4421, dated 2nd June,1884,
   • 5247, dated 23rd July,1886, & Government letter, Agriculture and Forest Department No.BVC/1061/2-18707-D,dated 10th August,1963).
10. The Bombay Veterinary College was originally placed under the control of Director of Public Instruction and later on under the Director of Agriculture from 1910.
    (Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.2011, dated 18th March 1891 and Government Resolution, Education Department No.1350, dated 27th July,1910).
11. A survey of animal diseases found to be prevalent in India had already been taken up by the Government of India. On the formation of the Civil Veterinary Department in the Bombay Presidency, it was decided
    • To encourage local bodies to establish Veterinary Dispensaries in large numbers under the charge of Veterinary Graduates for treating cases in the immediate vicinity and
    • To provide an internee Veterinary Graduate attached to it to cope-up with outbreaks of cattle diseases.
    • To make the existence of the Dispensary known,
    • To treat cases which can be treated or relieved on the spot and
    • To induce owners to send their animals to the dispensary for treatment whenever practicable.
      (Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.447, dated 19th January,1895 and letter No.A-1303, dated 25th April,1894 from the Survey Commissioner and the Director of Land Records and Agriculture,addressed to Government in Revenue Department, referred to therein).
12. The Government agreed to provide assistance in the form of grant in aid of Rs.400/- to every Veterinary Dispensary, half or in some cases two-thirds of the sanctioned pay of the Veterinary Graduate and half the pay and traveling allowance of the itinerating Veterinary assistant. The progress of opening of Veterinary Dispensaries however largely depended on the financial capability of the local bodies and was therefore rather slow.
13. This position was reviewed by the Government of Bombay in the year 1905 and it was decided to institute a Provincial Pensionable Subordinate Civil Veterinary Service to be fully funded from provincial revenue. The Government of India accorded sanction to implement this decision of the State Government in 1906 and the scheme was put into operation from 1st April,1909.
    The Scheme contemplated the ultimate provision of one Veterinary Assistant for each Taluka, one Veterinary Inspector for each District and one Superintendent for each Revenue Division. The year 1909 was thus a landmark in the history of the Department.
    (Government Resolution, Revenue Department, i)No.3877-D, dated 12th May 1905, ii)No.1615, dated 14th February 1907, iii)No.5083, dated 14th December 1908, iv)Annual Administrative Report of the Civil Veterinary Department for the year 1908-09.)
14. As a part of the proposal for the establishment of Civil Veterinary Department in different provinces, a Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department was appointed for Baluchistan, Sindh and Rajputana and therefore the Horse Breeding Operations being looked after by the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay Presidency was transferred to that officer in the year 1894. Later on, the Horse Breeding Operations and Veterinary Activities in Sindh were also transferred to its charge with Head Quarters at Karachi.
    [(i)Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.6928, dated 26th September 1893, ii)Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.261, dated 11th January 1898, iii)Government Resolution, Revenue Department No. 1877, dated 13th March,1899.]
15. The practice of deputing officers of the Army Veterinary Department to Civil Veterinary Department, was discontinued in 1901 and Government of India took a decision with the concurrence of the Secretary of the State to recruit officers for appointment in the Indian Civil Veterinary Department, in future from the English Veterinary Colleges.
    ( Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.6137, dated 31st August 1909 ).]
16. The Government of India while reviewing the Annual Administration Reports of the Civil Veterinary Department for the year 1897-98, observed that as Bombay Civil Veterinary Department had been relieved of the charge of Horse and Mule Breeding recently, it will certainly be possible for the Superintendent to give more attention to the subject of cattle breeding and cattle
    diseases.
    (Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.3531, dated 19th May 1899 ).
17. As regards cattle breeding, it was contemplated to select certain famous local breeds of cattle for improvement and identify suitable sites for establishing cattle breeding and bull rearing farms and to encourage breeders by awarding cash prizes to the best animals at Shows and Fairs . The Annual Report of the Department for the year 1902-03 describes the conditions prevailing then in Deccan as given below-
    "Speaking generally, there is no cattle breeding except in a haphazard way. Cow of the ordinary stamp met with are bulled promiscuously when out grazing by ordinary bulls left unmulled for breeding purposes or because they were of a tranquil disposition. Only the well to do can afford to keep good cattle and they are not many. The ordinary ryot has to be content with an undersized non-descript animal which requires less feeding, is more hardy and cheaper to buy. In irrigated localities, where forage is more plentiful, better cattle were found and care is generally taken that the best cows are mated to the best bulls. The Northcote Cattle Farm was visited on the 17th January. At its present strength, it is calculated that in succeeding years about 100 bull calves of the pure Kankrej breed suitable for breeding purposes could be obtained annually from the farm. No other breeding establishment worthy of note appears to exist in the presidency except in native States, where owing to the existence of extensive grazing lands, cattle can be bred profitably. The method of cattle breeding existing in the Deccan generally is the immemorial one of turning loose a young bull devoted to a deity. In parts where grazing lands is extensive or forage plentiful as it is in the valleys of the principal rivers and irrigated tracts the custom is systematically adhered to but in other parts from various causes the chief of which appears to the restriction of grazing by enclosures of forest lands and famine, it has to a great extent by force of circumstances been given up".
    The situation as regards cattle breeding in a majority of the underdeveloped areas of the State like Konkan, Vidarbha and Marathwada where cross-breeding programme has still not made a dent is not materially different even now. The practice of letting loose herds of cattle for grazing in common property resources and allowing it to be mated by non-descript village bulls still continues in these areas.
18. The Chharod farm was established by the efforts of the Gujrat Cattle Preservation Association in the year 1900 to preserve pure Kankrej of Gujrat. With the deterioration of the financial position of the association, the management of the farm was transferred to the Government from 1st April 1906.
    [Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.3725, dated 17th April 1906 and Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.9823, dated 7th October,1907.]
19. The Glanders and Farcy Act relating to the disease in horses had been passed in the year 1879 by the Government of India. Local Governments were empowered to apply the act or any provision of the act to any local area within the territories administered by them. The act was applied in the beginning to the City of Bombay and later on extended to the Cantonment limits of Poona and Kirkee, the Municipal limits of Poona city and Suburban boards and the city of Nasik and the suburb of Panchavati.
    {Government resolutions, Judicial Department i)No.4238, dated 6th August 1888, ii)No.209, dated 14th January 1889, iii)No.2693, dated 16th May 1891, iv)No.5531, dated 7th October 1892, v)No.3207, dated 9th May 1894, vi)No.7779, dated 20th November 1894 and vii)No.7889, dated 26th November,1894}.
20. The Glanders and Farcy Act was enforced in the Bombay city and harbour through the collaboration of the Police Department. Police Inspectors were declared as" Inspectors " under the act and they were provided assistance of two Veterinary Inspectors for work at the Harbour and at the Lazaretto at Sewri. The arrangement is not satisfactory, the Commissioner of Police, Bombay, suggested a separate Veterinary establishment for operating the Glanders and Farcy Act, consisting of 6 Veterinary Inspectors under the administrative control of the Principal, Bombay Veterinary College and the Police Inspectors relieved of the duties under the act. A government of India agreed to this and offered to meet half the cost of the additional establishment.
    This accounts for the existence of a separate Glanders and Farcy Department which came to be termed as the Bombay City and Harbour Veterinary Department in later years.

    [Government Resolution, Judicial Department i)No.5331, dated 7th October 1892 and ii)No.8638, dated 12th December 1895 and iii)Government Resolution Revenue Department No.14540, dated 11th December 1919].

21. The act itself was consolidated and amended in the year 1899 and called the Glanders and Farcy Act 1899. This act was extended to all the districts of the Presidency proper.

    [Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.5544,dated 6th August,1901.]

22. The following officers were appointed as Veterinary Practitioners under Section 7 of the act and the list has been modified from time to time.
    1. The Principal, Bombay Veterinary College, Bombay,
    2. The Assistant Principal, Bombay Veterinary College,Bombay,
    3. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,.Bombay Presidency,
    4. The Army Veterinary Officer, Chief Station Veterinary Hospital, Kirkee.
    5. The Army Veterinary Officer,Chief Station Veterinary Hospital,Deesa.
    6. The Army Veterinary Officer, Army Veterinary School,Poona.
    7. The Army Veterinary Officer, Bellary..

    {Government notification,Revenue Department i)No.5542 C,dated 3rd August,1901,ii)No.10427,dated 6th October,1919,iii)No.9430/ 333,(e),dated 8th September,1999 and iv)No.9340/33(e), dated 4th April,1942.

23. Officers of the Revenue, Police and Army Veterinary Departments mentioned in the preceding paragraph and the Veterinary Assistants of the Department were declared as "Inspectors under Section 4 of the Act,subject to modifications from time to time.
    {Government Notifications,Revenue Department, i) No.5542-D, dated 3rd August,1901,ii)No.10426,dated 6th October,1919,iii)No.9340/33 (d),dated 8th February,1919,and iv)No.9340/33,(b),dated 6th April 1942.}
24. Dourine Act 1910-In order to provide for the prevention and spread of the dourine in equines, the Government of India passed the Dourine Act(Act No.5 of 1910). The act has been applied to the Bombay Presidency since 1919 and rules have been framed thereunder.
    {Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.14284, dated 5th December,1919, (ii to vi)Government notifications,Revenue Department Nos.14284(a), 14284(B), 14284(C), 14284(D), 14284(E), dated 5th December,1919 and vii)No.9340/33(a),dated 6th April,1942.
25. The Bombay Veterinary College and the Civil Veterinary Department of the Bombay Presidency were placed under the direct control of the Department in the year 1920 by declaring the Principal, Bombay Veterinary College,and the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay Presidency as heads of the Department. In the year 1918. However, Government had decided that the cattle breeding operations in the Bombay Presidency should be placed under the control of the special Deputy Director of Agriculture appointed for the purpose. The cattle breeding operations, thus, remained with the Department of Agriculture.
    {Government orders, Revenue Department, i)NO.13560, dated 23rd December,1918,ii)No.4061,dated 8th August,1919,iii)No.120193 dated 16th October,1919 and iv)No.2061, dated 9th July,1920} .
26. The Horse Breeding Operations through the agency of the Government were discontinued in the year 1923. The Department from 1924 was therefore mainly concerned with matters relating to diseases of animals and their control.
    {Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.9274, dated 22nd October,1923}.
27. With the retirement of an officer of the Indian Veterinary Service from the post of Principal, Bombay Veterinary College,in March,1932 and the appointment of the officer in Bombay Veterinary service Class-I to that post, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay Presidency (an officer of the Indian Veterinary Service) was placed in general supervision of Veterinary Education and the Bombay City and Harbour Department and the designation of the post was changed to Director of Veterinary Services Bombay Presidency.
    {Government Resolutions, Revenue Department, i)No.7874-28, dated 8th January 1932 and ii)No.8930-28, dated 18th April,1932.}
28. The year 1947 was important in the history of the Department due to the amalgamation of all the Animal Husbandry Sections of the Agriculture Department with the Veterinary Department under the Director,who was designated as the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science. The Activities since remained with the department except for the period from 1st March 1952 to 1st July 1957, during which period they were again placed under the Department of Agriculture.
    {Government Resolutions, Reconstruction Department, i)No.1088- III, dated 2nd May 1947, ii)Agriculture and Rural Development Department No.1088-III, dated 17th May 1947 and iii)dated 4th February 1948, iv)Agriculture and Forests Department No.5223, dated 22nd February 1952 and v)No.LVS-1040-D,dated 28th June,1957.}
29. With the retransfer of Animal Husbandry Sections to the Department in 1957, the designation of the post of the head of the Department was adopted as Director of Animal Husbandry, in place of Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science adopted in 1957 when the sections were first transferred to this Department.
    {Government Resolution, Agriculture and forest department No.LVS/1056-166296-D,dated 18th October,1957.}
30. The Government of Maharashtra in November,1993 upgraded the post of Director of Animal Husbandry to the rank of Secretary to the Government and changed the designation of the post as Commissioner Animal Husbandry, with the post brought on to the cadre of Officers of Indian Administrative Service in the Senior scale.
    The Commissioner, Animal Husbandry, thus became the head of the Department.
31. A post of Additional Director of Animal Husbandry was created by the Government of Maharashtra in the year 1984 to assist the Director of Animal Husbandry. The post is not filled in since its creation, lapsed and was subsequently revived by the Government in the year 1995, and filled in.
32. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research in the year 1931 sanctioned a general scheme for appointment of Veterinary Investigation Officers in the provinces for an investigation into the diseases and mortality among animals specific to that provinces. The I.C.A.R. proposed to the then Bombay Government to appoint one such Officer for the Bombay Presidency wherein expedition on salary was partly shared by the I.C.A.R., the scheme was being sanctioned for a period of five years in the first instance. The Bombay Government accepted this proposal and an officer was appointed to hold the post and to operate the scheme from 27th June 1932 at Bombay Veterinary College, Parel. The scheme continued as a partly subsidize scheme till 1948 and was finally provincialised from first April 1948 with the Government bearing the entire expenditure of the scheme. This was done by the Government considering the importance of investigation of animal diseases and research into various diseases. The appointment of Disease Investigation Officer in the State was important in the history of the Department because of the fact that the Disease Investigation Section of the Department was subsequently built up to cater to the needs of the farmers in the State.
    {Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.7669-28, dated 25th August 1932 and Annual Administration Report for the year 1948-49.
33. Later on,the I.C.A.R. offered to partly subsidize a scheme for the investigation of diseases of poultry for a period of 3 years if started in the Bombay province. The Bombay Government agreed to this and an Officer was appointed to the post of Veterinary Inspector (Poultry) in the year 1942. He worked under the guidance and instruction of the Veterinary Investigation Officer Bombay, and the scheme continued as such until March 1950 and was subsequently financed entirely from the State funds from 1st April 1950. The same reasons as for the appointment of Disease Investigation Officer held good for a continuance of this scheme.
    [Government Resolutions, Revenue Department No.8185-33, dated 16th June 1941 and ii)Agriculture and Forest Department No.8185-33, dated 18th May 1950].
34. The I.C.A.R.still further requested the Bombay Government to take up a Scheme for an investigation into diseases of sheep and goat in the State and offered to subsidize the same. The Bombay Government agreed to this and an officer was appointed to the post of Assistant Disease Investigation Officer(Sheep and goats) from 27th August 1945. The scheme was however terminated from 28th February 1954.
    [Government Resolutions,Reconstruction Department Nos.i)7858-24,dated 1st March,1945,ii)7858-24,dated 19th July,1955 and iii)Annual Administration Report of the Department for the year 1954.]
35. Inoculation of in contact animals with anti Rinderpest pest serum obtained from Indian Veterinary Research Institute , Izatnagar, was the method of control of Rinderpest in the Bombay Presidency till 1935. Though this was very useful form of prophylactic treatment, its value was limited due to following factors:-
    • The immunity set up was of very short duration i.e. 9 days.
    • it was practically not possible to inoculate the stock every 9th day.
    • with the decline of immunity the animals were exposed to the risk of infection.
      The serum simultaneous method which conferred immunity of longer duration could not be adopted on a large scale due to financial constraints.
36. Vaccination of cattle with Rinderpest virus obtained from goats was a new method suggested. The experiments conducted by the Veterinary Investigation Officer showed that cattle can be efficiently protected on vaccination with goat tissue and immunity lasted for a fairly long period. Accordingly, a goat virus production station was sanctioned at Bombay under the direct supervision of the college staff and was approved for a period of three years from 1st April 1935 as an experimental measure. The success of this measure prompted to the Government to establish two sub-stations one at Jalgaon and the other at Dharwar to meet the field demand. The main station at Bombay was placed later on under the charge of an officer in Bombay Veterinary Service Class-II in the year 1945.
    [Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.5099-28, dated 28th March 1935 and ii)Annual Administration Report of the Department for the year 1945-46.]
37. The manufacture of goat virus for the control of Rinderpest was yet another landmark in the history of the Department because with a view to producing other biological products, an Institute of Veterinary Biological Products came to be established with the Superintendent in Bombay Veterinary Service Class-I w.e.f. 19th July 1947 The Goat virus station at Bombay and the sub-station at Jalgaon and Dharwar so also the Ranikhet Disease Vaccine laboratory which had then been established formally in the premises of Agriculture College, Poona in November 1947 were placed under the control of the Superintendent, Biological Products w.e.f.1st September 1948.
    [Government Resolution, Reconstruction Department No.4169-39-3, dated 4th November 1946, ii)No.9986-39, dated 21st December 1946, iii)Agriculture and Rural Department No.4164-39-III, dated 23rd August 1947 and iv)Annual Administration Report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay State for the year 1948-49.]
38. The Institute of Biological Products was shifted from Bombay to Poona during the year 1959 and since then it is functioning as an Institute of Veterinary Biological Products- a premier vaccine production institute of the State.
    The Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, a National Institute in Veterinary research, has its roots in Pune when a pioneering National Institute "Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory was established in 1889 at Pune.
    The Institute was subsequently shifted to Mukteshwar and renamed as Indian Veterinary Research Institute.
    [Golden Jubilee Publication of Institute of Veterinary Biological Products, Pune in the year 1997.]
39. The Government of Bombay was seized with the threat to the cattle wealth of the country posed by indiscriminate slaughter of animals including milch cattle and young draught cattle to meet the increasing demand for meat. The Government of India, with a view to conserving the cattle wealth of the country, had imposed certain restrictions on the slaughter of useful cattle under the Defence of India Rules. The Government of Bombay therefore, with an exercise of powers conferred by sub-rule (2) of Rule-81 of the Defence of India Rule and subsequently in the exercise of powers conferred by Section-4 of the Bombay Essential Commodities and cattle (control) act 1946 issued an order banning the slaughter of useful animals. It also issued a separate order and fixed a weekly quota of animals for slaughter at different slaughterhouses in the State. The system of licensing the dealers in the trade of animals was also introduced.
    [Government orders, Revenue Department, No.9257-24, dated 20th December,1943, ii)10th January,1944,iii)12th June 1944, iv)9th October,1944, v)21st October 1944, vi)8th November 1944, Reconstruction Department, vii)2nd January,1945, viii)9th January,1945, ix)22nd May,1945, and Government Notification, Agriculture and Rural Department, (x)No.298-D, dated 23rd August,1948] .
40. The year 1948 saw the enactment of the Bombay Animal Preservation Act as a measure of more permanent nature to conserve the cattle wealth. Under the Act, the inspection of the animals tendered for slaughter at the slaughterhouses was entrusted to Veterinary Officers at important places where the No.of animals slaughtered was fairly big from the very beginning i.e. January 1944. The act of 1948 was applied to the same places from 1st December 1942 and later extended to areas within the Municipal Council of Kalyan from 1st June 1954 and in the rest of the areas, the order issued under the Act of 1946 remained in force.
    [Government Notifications, Agriculture and Forest Department, i)No.1629-D, No.1629-D,(A), dated 30th July 1952, ii)No.APS-1054-D-(D),dated 11th May,1954,iii)No.1629-49079-D, dated 27th November 1952 and iv)No.1629-D, dated 1st December,1952.
41. A Scheme for "immunization of cattle against diseases and consequent reduction in livestock mortality" was launched in the year 1943 on a moderate scale initially with the object of preserving the livestock wealth of the country. Under this scheme, Stockman was appointed for immunization work. They were drawn from the cadre of Compounders and Dressers in local board service in the beginning.
    [Government Resolution, Revenue Department No.8409/33, dated 31st March 1933 and ii)Agriculture and Forest Department No.IMN/1154, dated 23rd March,1955].
42. A regular one year course viz.,"Stockman training course" was started in the year 1946. Ex-servicemen were admitted in the first year at Bombay. The course was however thrown open to candidates who had studied up to Matriculation (if sufficient No, of Matriculates, were not available). Two more Centres were sanctioned one in Gujrat and another at Dharwar in 1947 as a part of post-war Reconstruction Programme.
    [Government Resolutions, Agriculture and Rural Development i) No.42/24002-C, dated 22nd October 1946, and ii)No.42/24544 , dated 11th September,1947.]
    Stockmen Training Centres were subsequently opened at Nasik, Hingoli, and Nagpur. These Training Centres were finally closed down when demand for stockmen was met.
    In order to upgrade the knowledge of stockmen, two years Inservice Diploma Course was started in the year 1965 with the first year of the course at Veterinary College, Nagpur and the 2nd year at the Bombay Veterinary College, Bombay. After the formation of the Agricultural University in the State in the year 1968, these courses were run by the Department. These courses were closed down on 31st January 1971.
    Subsequently, an Inservice Diploma Course was started at Pune in the year 1984 with the object of upgrading the knowledge of Livestock Supervisors and to offer them chances of promotion to the cadre of Veterinary Officers/Livestock Development Officers(15% of the cadre). Only Junior Veterinary Officers/Assistant Livestock Development Officers, who have completed minimum 5 years service were selected on the basis of seniority cum merit from the Zilla Parishad as well as State Sector. 50 candidates were admitted every year out of which 25 belong to Zilla Parishad and 25 to State Sector. Prior to the establishment of Inservice Diploma Course at Pune, a Stockman Training Centre was functioning there .
43. Artificial Insemination being recognized as the most expeditious method of the breeding for improvement of cattle in the advanced countries that time,the Government of Bombay decided to open one or two centres for A.I.work in the Bombay Provinces. This was after proving the utility of this method under Indian conditions by the Indian Veterinary Research Institute through experiments since 1942.
    (Government letter, Reconstruction Department No.330/22408-1, dated 14th October,1946.)
44. A scheme prepared for the organization of A.I.work in the State by a Special Officer appointed In charge of A.I.The section on Bombay Veterinary Service Class-II was sanctioned by the Government in April 1950. The work under the scheme expanded rapidly and more centres and sub-centres were opened leading ultimately to have an independent section to look after this work.
    [Government Resolutions, Agriculture and Rural Development Department i)No.330, dated 5th July 1948 and ii)27th November 1948 and iii)Government Resolution, Agriculture and Forest Department No.330, dated 26th April,1950.]
45. With the expansion of A.I.work in the State,a Regional A.I. Centre was established at Nagpur. This Centre catered to the needs of A.I.work in Nagpur Region. A.I.Centre, Pune being a pioneer centre in the State continued to be the leading centre in spreading A.I.Technology.
46. Establishment of Key Village Centres was another milestone in propagating A.I.work at the village level. The State Government in the year 1965 established intensive Cattle Development Projects at Pune, Miraj, Dhule, initially & subsequently at Chiplun(1967), Jalna(1972), Nagpur(1972) and Amraoti(1975). Every I..C.D.P. had six Regional A.I.Centres with each having 15 sub-centres, each sub-centre catering to 1000 breedable cattle population. Thus one I.C.D.P.catered to about 1,00,000 breedable cattle population in the entire project. Every I.C.D.P. had also a Centralized Semen Collection Centre which maintained bulls for a collection of semen and subsequent supply to the sub-centres. The Project also had one Cattle Development Officer, one Fodder Development Officer & one Statistical Officer besides an Officer, In charge at Centralized Semen Collection Centre. All these Officers were in Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Service, Class-II. The Project Officer, who headed the Project, was an officer in Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Service Class-I.
    (G.R., A.& C. Department No.CDS-5765/20635-D,dated 13.10.1965, G.R.,A. & C. Department No.CDS-5772/34724-D,dated 5.9.1972, G.R.,A.& C.Department No.CDS-6575/19008/5-ADF,dated 26.12.1975 & G.R.,A.& C.Department No.SDS-6575/28102/5-ADF,dated 1.7.1976).
47. With the reorganization of the Department on 1st May,1984, the structure of Intensive Cattle Development Project was changed and only the field centres i.e. Regional A.I.Centres and A.I.Sub Centres subsequently continued.All the post of Project Officers were drafted to work as District Dy.Directors of Animal Husbandry a post created under Reorganization to supervise the entire Animal Husbandry work at the district level and to be In charge of all the State Sector Animal Husbandry activities in the district. The District Dy.Director is also a coordinating authority for district level plan schemes and is responsible to the District Planning and Development Council for all the Animal Husbandry Schemes in the district. He is also authorized to supervise Animal Husbandry activities under Zilla Parishad.
48. The Animal Husbandry Activities at the Regional level are being supervised by a Regional Joint Director of Animal Husbandry an Officer in Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Service,Class-I(Super Time) since 1st May,1984. Prior to this, the region was headed by a Regional Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry. This post was upgraded to that of Regional Joint Director during the reorganization of the Department on 1st May,1984.
49. The Bombay Animal Contagious Diseases(Control) Act-1948 - This Act was passed to provide for prevention and control of contagious diseases of animals.The Act is an enabling Act and can be applied to any local area during the course of an outbreak of any of the diseases scheduled under the Act, in virulent form and can be withdrawn from the area as soon as the disease is under control.
50. The Bombay Veterinary Practitioners Act,1953. In order to regulate the Veterinary Profession and to provide a statutory organization representing the Veterinary Profession which will serve as a link between the Government and the Profession, the Bombay Veterinary Practitioners Act was passed in 1953 and the rules thereunder were framed in 1956.
51. The Act was brought into force from 15th of January,1956 and the first register had been prepared and published in 1956. After completing the process of election of members by the registered Veterinary Practitioners under the Act, the Bombay Veterinary Council was formed by the end of September 1957.
    [Government Notification, Agriculture and Forest Department No.BVP-1054-140072-D & No.BVP-1054-140072-DA, dated 7th January 1956, Government Resolution, Agriculture and Forests Department No.BVP-1056-D, dated 20th September,1956 & (i) No.BVP-1057-D, dated 11th February,1957,ii)13th March,1957 & iii)20th April,1957 iv)No.BVP-1057/168210-D,dated 21st September,1957.]
52. Due to the reorganization of the State and to extend the act to the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions ,the matter being under examination,the council did not begin to function. The matter was further examined in view of the draft model bill forwarded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
    [Government letter, Agriculture and Forest Department No.BVP-1159/19190-VI-D, dated 26th September 1951. ]
53. Subsequently,Maharashtra Veterinary Practitioners Act 1971 was enacted and brought into force into the entire State of Maharashtra and a Maharashtra Veterinary Council was constituted under the act by the election of members from amongst the registered Veterinary Practitioners and by the nomination of members by the Government as provided under the act.Director of Animal Husbandry was President of the Maharashtra Veterinary Council.
    In the meanwhile, a Joint Committee of Parliament was set up by the Government of India to have a uniform Act throughout the country to regulate the Veterinary Profession. The Government of India based on the recommendations of the Joint Committee of Parliament which had visited many States including Maharashtra enacted Indian Veterinary Council Act 1984 to regulate the profession. The act provided for granting registration only to the Veterinary Graduates recognized under the act. This act has been applied to the State of Maharashtra, Government of Maharashtra having consented to its application in the State of 1.8.1997. Accordingly, Maharashtra state Veterinary Council under the Act has been formed. The Maharashtra Branch of Council is headed by an Officer of the Department as Registrar of the Council and other two members nominated by the Government of Maharashtra.
54. The Disease Rinderpest had been responsible in the past for 60% of the total cattle mortality from Epidemics. With the availability of freeze-dried vaccine and allocation of funds by the then Planning Commission to tackle the problem, the Government of India appointed a Central Rinderpest Control Committee in the year 1954 with the objective of carrying a pilot project to eradicate Rinderpest in suitable areas of South to gain experience and to assess the progress and know its economics before an All India Rinderpest Eradication Plan was launched. The pilot project which was initially started in southern districts of the then Bombay State was extended to Bijapur and Belgaon districts in the year 1955 and later on extended to all the districts of the pre-organized and post-organised State of Bombay.
    (Government Resolutions, Agriculture and Forest Department (i)No.IMN/1254, dated 2nd August 1954, ii)No.IMN-1254-D,dated 25th April,1956, (iii)No,.IMN-1257-202258-D,dated 31st May,1958, (iv)No.IMN/1259-4659-(II)-D,dated 4th May,1959,(v)No.IMN/1259/VI/ 38162-G, dated 19th August 1960 and (vi)No.IMN/1259-VI-444 54-D, dated 9th January,1965.)
55. The work under the scheme was completed in the year 1961 & the follow-up programme was undertaken by the regular staff of the Department. Interstate Check Posts have been established within the State boundaries to prevent ingress of the disease through the adjoining States.
    (Government Resolutions, Agriculture and Forest Department No. (i) IMN/ 1260- 26850-D, dated 8th September 1962, and (ii)No.IMN/ 1262-6030, dated 24th August,1962.)
56. Mobile Vigilance Units have also been established for control of diseases. The Vigilance Units are meant to create an immune belt of 20 K.Ms.length on the Interstate Border. Similarly, a Special Rinderpest Control Unit has been established for control of Rinderpest in Greater Bombay. The unit is known as Rinderpest Containment Vaccination Unit.
57. The National Project for Rinderpest Eradication(N.P.R.E.)- an E.E.C.assisted Programme- was launched on April,92 in the country. This Project has been working as a forerunner to an integrated effort aimed at strengthening of the Veterinary Services for the control of livestock diseases in India. The Project aims at eradication of Rinderpest and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia(C.B.P.P.)through an improved management of health coverage.
    *Maharashtra State has also been covered under this Project and is in Zone-B since 1995-96. The State is thus partially free from Rinderpest as no outbreaks of Rinderpest in bovines have been reported in the State since 1991-92. The vaccination against Rinderpest has been totally stopped in the State since 1996-97. Prior to this, the State was in Zone-C. As a strategy for Zone C vaccination against Rinderpest was undertaken on the mass scale in all the districts bordering other States. Similarly, sheep and goats in all the districts of the State were vaccinated against Rinderpest. Achievement in the vaccination campaigns as a part of N.P.R.E. was 100%. The animals vaccinated during the project period were serologically evaluated for their immune status to judge the success of vaccination. Seromonitoring was thus an essential component of the National Project on Rinderpest Eradication. E.E.C.assistance was received in the form of equipment, vehicles and technology.
    The National Project is headed by a Project Coordinator and has a Project Management Unit acting as a coordinating cell at the National level. It has outlined the Rinderpest eradication strategy for 25 States and 7 Union Territories for a period of 6 years. A detailed work programme is drawn up annually for each State after discussions with Senior Officers of the State Animal Husbandry Department. The Project work in the State is planned, supervised and monitored by a nodal officer. (National Project for Rinderpest Eradication, Annual Progress Report for 1994-95, Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying ) *The entire project was financed by the Government of India. The State Government, however, continue to bear the establishment cost of the staff in the state for the control of Rinderpest.
    However a second viral infection Peste des Petits ruminants (P.P.R.) has been reported from some districts of the State. This virus causes a clinical disease in goats and sheep,but not in cattle. In affected small ruminants,it is impossible to differentiate between rinderpest and P.P.R. Vaccination of affected small ruminants with Rinderpest vaccine, however controls the outbreak. A separate P.P.R.vaccine has also been experimentally produced at I.V.R.I.Izatnagar.
58. Transfer of Activities to Zilla Parishads:-
    With the enactment and passing of “ The Maharashtra Zilla Parishads & Panchayat Samities Act,1962(Maharashtra Act No.V of 1962)”the following activities of the Animal Husbandry Department were transferred to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samities:-
    1. Veterinary Aid ( excluding Veterinary Hospitals at Nashik,Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur) but including other Veterinary Hospitals, Veterinary Dispensaries, Very. Aid Centres.
    2. District Premium Bull Scheme.
    3. Scheme for extensive work in livestock improvement (Supplementary Cattle Breeding Centres). This scheme has subsequently been discontinued by the State Government. 4)Scheme for the continuance of/Premium Bull Centres in scheduled areas.
    4. Scheme for the opening of {Premium Bull Centres in non-scheduled areas.
    5. Opening of (i) 21 Premium Bull Centres in Deoni Tract (ii)Four Premium Bull Centres in Tuljapur and Osmanabad Talukas.
    6. Scheme for the location of Cow Bulls in the development areas of the extension wing of the Agril.College,Pune.
    7. Registration of Deoni Cattle and Milk Recording Scheme.
    8. Scheme regarding posting 8 Stud Bulls in Marathwada.
    9. Organization of Cattle Shows and Rallies ,Grant of help
       towards the award of prizes.
    10. Scheme for development of Goshalas and Panjrapoles in the
        Bombay area of the State.
    11. Scheme for Goshala Development in Vidarbha Region.
    12. Scheme for Goshala Development in Marathwada Region.
    13. Scheme for payment of grant-in-aid to various institutions.
    14. Scheme for grant of loans to approved poultry students for starting private poultry farms.
    15. Scheme for poultry improvement in scheduled areas.
    16. Artificial Insemination Sub Centres.
    17. Key Village Scheme,Aurangabad.
    18. Sheep & Wool Extension Centres.
    19. Poultry Demonstration Centres.

    (Government Notification,Cooperation & Rural Deptt.No.TWS-1062-M,dated
    1st May,1962)

    With the transfer of activities to the Zilla Parishads, the staff employed for the purpose(Class III and Class IV) stood transferred to the Zilla Parishads w.e.f.1962 along with the Budget of the Department for implementing these activities. The Zilla Parishads are entitled to receive 100% purposive grants from the Government through the Department for running these activities according to the orders and instructions of the Government from time to time but in the manner, as these activities were being run prior to 1st May 1960 when under the Government.